Edge of the Night
by love-tart
Summary: Bella and Edward couldn't be more opposite. She's a rich heiress and successful businesswoman in her own right. He's a detective that's seen way too many bad things happen to good people. Fate puts them in each other's path, but the road to happily-ever-after could be a rocky one.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello friends, here we go again! This one is a little different. There's angst. I know! I NEVER write angst! But, there's a first time for everything LOL This first chapter is, well, there's some descriptions of physical violence. Just sayin'. Not a lot, but still. PM me with any questions. A new adventure begins!_**

"Bella? Please open the door, sweetie."

I stared at the reflection in the mirror, ignoring the tear-filled voice of my best friend. I heard whispering, but couldn't discern what was being said and at that moment I didn't care. I was morbidly fascinated by the person looking back at me.

Her left eye was blackened and swollen, and both of the normally clear white sclera were now a vibrant red thanks to burst blood vessels.

Peeling a bandage off revealed a stitched cut across her left cheek bone, a blue and green bruise flowering open around it. The discoloration crept down to almost meet a ring of angry red welts and scratches that circled her upper throat.

"Bells?"

Now the voice of my brother. As I continued to stare at the reflection in the mirror, I saw a single fat teardrop fall from the battered eye and slide over the stitches, stinging as it went. A sob broke from my chest, but still I couldn't look away. I couldn't make myself stop scrutinizing the damage that had been inflicted upon my face. I heard some metallic clicking noises, and the next thing I knew I was wrapped in giant, comforting arms. They rocked me like a baby and his voice was low, but so filled with emotion I almost couldn't stand it.

"He's gone, Bells, I promise. Never coming back. He's never coming back."

This was repeated over and over until my numb mind couldn't even absorb the words anymore.

"I'm so tired, Em," I finally whispered through my bruised throat. "But, I'm scared to close my eyes."

My brother Emmett carried me out of the bathroom like a child, and gently deposited me on the bed in my private hospital room.

"I'm going to ask them if you can have something to help you sleep," he said before exiting the room.

Almost immediately I felt comforting hands tucking a blanket around me and I turned my gaze to my best friend. She smoothed my hair back from my face with a sad smile.

"Love ya, Ali," I murmured.

Her gray eyes sparkled with tears, but she didn't let them fall.

"Love you, too. No more locking yourself in the bathroom, okay? Even though Emmett _is _able to pick the lock with a paper clip, we'd rather not resort to that." This last was directed at my brother as he strode back in, a nurse right behind him. Emmett shrugged with no remorse.

"Miss Swan, I'm going to administer you a sedative to help you sleep, if that's okay?" the nurse said kindly, holding up a syringe.

"Yes, please," I mumbled. I'd never been more exhausted, yet more on edge, in my life. It was an extremely unsettling feeling.

"Try to sleep, okay? We'll be right here," Alice said, stroking my forehead.

I barely felt the prick of the needle. My world darkened, and I welcomed it..

*EotN*

When I awoke, my hospital room was flooded with glowing orange light from the setting sun. Turning my head, I allowed a tiny smile to creep over my lips at the sight before me. Emmett had somehow managed to cram his six-foot-four frame in the small recliner in the corner. One leg was flung over the armrest and dangled almost to the floor, his head was slumped to one side, and he was snoring softly.

I loved my brother so much it made my chest tight. When our parents died ten years ago, he'd completely stepped into the role of my guardian. He'd always been more of a parent to me than either of the people who created us, anyway.

I was only seventeen when Charles and Renee Swan were killed in a fiery car crash on the way home from a charity gala they'd been attending. My father, driving his prized Maserati, had a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit and the autopsy had also found Percocet in his system. My mother's level was even higher, and she tested positive for cocaine as well. Nothing we weren't aware of, of course. Charles and Renee didn't exactly hide their activities from their children. At the time, I remember being thankful they hadn't caused harm to anyone else on the road with them. Instead, they wrapped the car around a light pole on Bayshore Blvd. and were both killed instantly, according to the coroner.

Emmett had been twenty at the time of the accident. He'd left Florida State and, with the guidance of our father's older brother, Marcus, he threw himself into the family business. Uncle Marcus had assured him he didn't need to leave school, but Emmett was determined. He'd planned to start there after graduation anyway, something he'd been groomed for all his life and was looking forward to doing. Swan Holdings, Inc. was founded by my great-grandfather in nineteen thirty-five. He'd began in real estate, but the business had expanded over the years to also include investment banking and asset management. My brother proved to be tenacious in doing everything he could to contribute to and increase the success SHI had always enjoyed, and in the ten years since he became a permanent fixture there he had more than succeeded. Though my own interests had taken me in a different direction, I was fiercely proud of him, of the man he became. He had worked so hard at a time when all of his other friends had still been out partying and having fun, all while making sure I was okay. He was my anchor.

Emmett and I were brought up in high luxury, never wanting for anything material, but if it weren't for him I would have had the loneliest childhood imaginable. Our parents weren't abusive to us in any way, but they certainly enjoyed the jetset lifestyle that generations of wealth afforded them. Lavish parties, trips around the world, being seen with the right people. Of course, none of these things were deemed appropriate for young children, so more often than not, Emmett and I had been left in the care of the household staff while Charles and Renee went off for sometimes weeks at a time. Some of my earliest memories were of kissing the glamorous couple good-bye at the bottom of the ornate curving staircase in the giant foyer of our family home. I thought they were the most beautiful people ever, my tall and handsome father and his beautiful, dark haired wife. Everyone said I looked exactly like her, but with Charles Swan's eyes. They always brought us loads of presents when they returned, and when I was very young those gifts almost made up for them being so absent from our lives. As I got older, they didn't even come close.

They weren't horrible parents, just. . . absent. I knew they loved us in their own way, but the problem was they were always so wrapped up in each other. Their relationship was intense, tempestuous, they fought hard and loved hard and, truthfully, I couldn't imagine one ever being without the other. While the crash had been absolutely devastating for all of us, I knew in my heart that if only one of them had died, the other would have chosen to willingly follow them by their own hand. It was tragic, yet better that it had happened the way it had. I'd accepted that a long time ago.

My pensive musings were interrupted when the door to my room opened and Alice stepped quietly inside. When she saw that I was awake, she stopped trying to tiptoe.

"Hey, how do you feel?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"My throat still hurts and I have a hell of a headache, but I'm alive," I answered with a small shrug.

She was quiet for a time, simply looking at me in that all-knowing way she had.

"Did you have any nightmares?" she finally questioned.

"No. I actually just woke up; whatever they gave me was strong as hell."

"You slept for about six hours, then. That's good. Your body needs the time to heal."

"Ali, has anyone been to my apartment? Ginger and Mary Ann-"

"Your kitties are just fine, Bells. I called Jacob, he and Seth have them at their place."

"Thanks."

Just then there was a knock at the door and the same nurse who has given me the sedative entered. Her name tag said Courtney.

"Miss Swan, there are two detectives here from Tampa PD. They want to ask you some questions, but I wanted to make sure you were awake first. Shall I send them in?"

Ali looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged.

"Sure," I told Courtney.

She nodded and disappeared from the doorway; a few moments later, two men entered the room. One was tall, tanned, and blond with an easy smile. The other was paler with dark reddish hair. He didn't smile. They both wore suits and, despite the blond's friendly demeanor, were quite imposing.

"Ms. Swan, I'm Detective Jasper Whitlock with Tampa PD, and this is my partner, Detective Edward Cullen," the blond man said. His blue eyes were kind and put me more at ease. The dark-haired one nodded, but didn't speak.

"Hello. This is my friend Alice Brandon," I gestured to Ali, who acknowledged them with a smile. "Ali, will you wake Emmett?"

She moved to where my brother was still obliviously snoring away. Alice kicked the bottom of his foot, causing him to jump and let out a raspy "What the fuck?!" as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Emmett, Detectives Whitlock and Cullen with the Tampa Police Department are here. Detectives, this is my brother, Emmett Swan."

Emmett nodded and shook both their hands.

"Ms. Swan, we have some questions if you're feeling up to it. It shouldn't take too long," Detective Whitlock said. "Even though this is a fairly straight forward case, we do still need to take your statement. If it gets to be too much, we can take a break. I understand your throat is probably sore after the ordeal you've been through, but the sooner we have everything we need, the sooner we can get out of your hair, okay?"

Both of the detectives took seats next to my bed. Whitlock's face was open and his eyes were kind. Cullen, on the other hand, was simply watching me. His eyes were very green. I had a fleeting thought of what I must look like – the reflection in the mirror still fresh in my mind – but I pushed it away. The detective, I was sure, had seen worse than a battered woman.

"Um, okay. Where should I start?" My fingers nervously plucked at the blanket covering my lap. Detective Whitlock took out a digital recorder, turned it on, and set it on the table next to me.

"September twenty first, two thousand eighteen. Detective Jasper Whitlock along with Detective Edward Cullen are taking a statement from Isabella Swan about the events that took place on the evening of September twentieth. Ms. Swan, how long did you know James Chaser?"

I took a deep breath.

"We met just over a year ago, at Luxe."

"Your hotel?" Detective Cullen asked, speaking for the first time. His voice was deeper than that of his blonde counterpart.

"Yes. I own it and I live in an apartment on the top floor. When I met James, he was a guest. We struck up a conversation and I'd see him from time to time when he stayed there. He was living in Tallahassee back then, but came into the city every month or so."

"And your relationship turned into a romantic one?"

"Not right away, no. Only in the last, ummm, four months?" I looked to Alice.

"He moved to Tampa in April, and you two started dating in May," she answered with a nod. "So yeah, about four months."

"Ok, try to walk us through what happened at your home last night, Ms. Swan," Detective Whitlock requested.

"Um, well, I was home by myself. At about nine-thirty my doorbell rang and I thought it was odd because I wasn't expecting anyone. When I looked through the peephole and saw him, I was surprised. To gain access to my penthouse, you have to use a fingerprint scanner that are in all the elevators. It will only recognize fingerprints that have been entered and approved. James never had the approval; his prints were never entered into the system. Usually when he came to see me, the front desk would call me and then I'd have Jake -"

"Jacob Black?" Detective Whitlock verified.

"Yes. He's a member of my staff and very close friend. Anyway, when James would come to the hotel, they'd call up and I'd have Jake send him in the elevator. He didn't really come to my apartment very often, though. I think he'd only actually been inside a half dozen times. I'd usually either meet him downstairs or somewhere out, ya know?"

"Who else has access to your floor?"

"Besides me? Alice and Emmett," I said gesturing to them. "Jake and his boyfriend Seth, who is also a very dear friend and my head bartender. That's all. Even my housekeeper isn't in the system; she has an actual key to my apartment, but that's useless without being able to access my floor. Jake or Alice or Seth sends her up when she comes."

"Well, someone let him up there," Emmett growled.

"I know Jake and Seth both had the night off last night. They went to a concert," I explained.

"We have officers questioning the staff, Ms. Swan. I'm sure we'll find out how he managed to access your floor. Please continue."

"So my doorbell rang, and when I saw who it was I almost didn't let him in."

"Why is that?" Detective Cullen asked. "I mean, he was your boyfriend, but you didn't want to see him?"

"Not particularly, no. We had been arguing a lot over the last month or so, and I really wasn't in the mood to have another fight. Plus, it was weird that he had just shown up without calling first. He'd never done that before."

"What were you arguing over?"

"Money," I said simply. "He kept trying to convince me to back him financially in a new investment. He knew someone who was developing a special kind of firearm that he promised would be the next big thing. I didn't want anything to do with it, but James was so determined. He brought it up every time we were together, tried everything to convince me. I was getting really sick of it and actually planned on telling him that things weren't working, that I thought it would be better if we went our separate ways."

"She told me two weeks ago that she was going to break it off," Alice piped up. "James had even tried asking me to convince Bella to give him the money. That's when I knew he was a giant dick."

"If he had tried that shit with me," Emmett growled, his hands balling into fists.

"Not very likely, Em. He was terrified of you," Alice said with a short laugh.

"Because he knew I'd kick his ass all over the city if he messed with my sister."

"Which is why I didn't tell you, Emmett," I said with a sigh.

"Ok, so getting back to last night," Detective Cullen spoke up. "You did end up letting him in. What happened next?"

"Well, almost immediately he started with the same stuff again. And again I told him no. It turned into a fight, obviously. And that's when. . . when. . ." I took a deep breath, trying to calm my suddenly racing heart. Alice gripped my hand, but all I could hear in my mind was his voice.

"_Fucking princess is what you are! A high society bitch! I could make millions on this and you won't even consider it, even though it's only a drop in the fucking bucket to you!"_

"Had he been violent with you prior to this?" Detective Whitlock asked gently, after I had relayed James' hurtful words. Emmett was now pacing.

"No. I mean, yes, we had been arguing, but he'd never raised a hand to me before, which is what made it all the more shocking when he punched me. It was like . . . Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I'd never seen that side of him before. He was just. . . crazed." I shivered, remembering the coldness of his eyes. I had never noticed before last night how cold his blue eyes could be.

"And after he struck you, what happened?"

"Um, well, he punched me in the face," I gestured towards my swollen and bruised left eye. "It came out of nowhere and knocked me down. I literally saw stars. Then he leaned down and punched me again. When I finally managed to get up, I ran toward my bedroom, thinking I could lock him out and call the police, but he tackled me. He sat on top of me and held me down, telling me that if I didn't give him the money he would kill me." I started shaking and Emmett came over and sat on the other side of me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders while Alice squeezed my fingers.

"My cell phone was in the pocket of my jeans," I continued. "Because he was sitting on my chest with my arms pinned to my side, I managed to get to it. I held down the button that turned voice commands on and started screaming to call nine one one. That made him really mad."

The two detectives were studying me intently. Whitlock's blue eyes held sympathy. Cullen's stare was just as intense as always, but in the depths of his green gaze I swore I could see rage. His jaw was tense, brow furrowed.

"And then?" he asked, his voice rough.

"Uh, he picked me up and shoved me against the wall and held me there with his hand wrapped around my throat and punched me again. He always wore this heavy gold ring with a ruby in it on his right hand and that's what cut me." I pointed to the stitched wound on my cheek. "When I looked in his eyes I just knew he had just. . . checked out, ya know? There was nothing there. He just kept holding me there and yelling at me. He told me he'd only pursued me in the first place because of my money, that he'd never really had any feelings for me, that I was a greedy bitch. All kinds of stuff."

Emmett jumped off the bed, growling as he hurled a -thankfully empty- plastic water jug at the wall. It banged loudly and clattered to the floor.

"That goddamn, good for nothing, motherfucker! If I had thought for one minute he was capable of something like this, I would have ripped his dick off and fed it to him!".

I sighed and gestured to Ali. She could always get him to calm the hell down when no one else could. She got up and went over to where he stood in front of the window. She whispered to him for a few moments and I don't know what she said, but I could tell when the tenseness left his shoulders. His head dropped forward and Ali rubbed a soothing hand up and down his broad back.

Detective Whitlock was watching the two of them with a pensive expression. Detective Cullen, however, barely gave them a glance before returning his attention to me.

"Ms. Swan," he said, "Did James Chaser attempt to sexually assault you?"

"No. He wasn't interested in that at all. He only kept screaming that he wanted the money and that he was going to get it one way or another. I, um, I think I might have blacked out because he kept squeezing my throat."

I swallowed hard and reached for the cup of ice water on my nightstand, taking a long sip and trying not to think about the terror of those moments.

"The next thing I knew, there was banging on my door. Until that moment I hadn't even been sure that the nine one one call had went through, but I guess they heard the whole thing once the call connected. I did manage to give a good kick to his shin and he finally let go for a second. I tried to run to the door, but that's when he pulled the gun out. I didn't even know he had one, it was tucked into the back of his pants. He aimed it at me and started yelling about how I should have just gave him the money, and about how much trouble I'd caused him. Th-that's when the police broke down the door and he turned around and just s-started screaming and firing at them. They shot him," I finished shakily.

I took a deep, quavering breath once I'd recounted the whole story. It still seemed absolutely surreal that the man I'd been dating - had kissed and touched and even made love with - tried to kill me. How could he have fooled me so completely? I felt ridiculously stupid all of a sudden, and tears of shame and anger burned my eyes.

Detective Whitlock cleared his throat.

"Ms. Swan, there are some things I think you'll be interested in hearing."

"What kind of things?" I asked, quickly wiping at my eyes. Detective Cullen wordlessly handed me a tissue from the night stand and I smiled my thanks at him as I took it.

"Last night, officers were sent to Chaser's residence. What they found there may well explain why you said it appeared he had 'checked out'."

"What did they find?"

"Drug paraphernalia, mostly pertaining to methamphetamine, but also heroine and marijuana. I'm gonna bet that when we get the toxicology report back, it'll show a very potent mixture in Chaser's bloodstream."

"Drugs?" I echoed weakly, completely shocked. "I never once suspected him of taking anything. I mean, drugs are a deal breaker for me. I grew up around all that shit, and I hate it."

"Most likely he knew of your aversion and hid it from you very well, all the better to get you to trust him." Detective Cullen stated. "He might have even done a little bit a research. With your last name, it wouldn't be hard to find out the details of your parents death."

He was right. In this city, Charles and Renee's death still held a morbid fascination for people.

"If," Detective Cullen continued, "as he claimed, he was after your money from the beginning, he'd want to present his most perfect side and hide anything that might make you reject him."

"I guess that makes sense," I agreed, still dazed. "God, I feel so fucking stupid."

"According to everything we have uncovered, James Chaser was a manipulator, and he was damn good at it. Don't be so hard on yourself."

I looked up at him and again his green eyes were so very intense as he gazed back at me. It struck me then that Detective Cullen was really quite good looking. His skin was somewhat pale, but his lips were dark pink, almost reddish. The same color also touched his cheeks just the slightest bit. His jaw was square, cheekbones high, and those eyes that seemed to be able to see deep into me were startlingly emerald.

"We checked into Chaser's background," Detective Whitlock announced, jarring me from my scrutiny of his partner. I turned to give him my full attention.

"He was arrested on drug charges twice before. There was also an arrest for breaking and entering and another for assault. Does the name Laurent Deveraux mean anything to you?"

"Laurent was his friend down in Miami, the one who was designing the new gun," I answered. "I didn't know his last name, and I never met him."

"Laurent Deveraux is a jack of all trades, it appears. Detective Cullen and I have been looking into his activities for the last three months. Chaser is a known associate, and that is what has brought the two of us specifically to you today. Your official statement needed to be taken, of course, but we also wanted to know if you were familiar with Devereaux. He's suspected of dealing in drugs as well as weapons and there's even some whispers of human trafficking. Nothing we can definitely pin on him yet, but we're getting close. Now, we've talked to several informants, and word on the street is that Chaser owed Devereux a lot of money. Close to a hundred thousand dollars. I have an educated guess as to why he was so desperate to get that money from you, and I don't think it had anything to do with investing it in firearms."

"Oh my God," I moaned, closing my eyes. Everything the detective had just told me was bouncing around in my head and I felt like I was going to throw up. In fact, I was sure of it.

"Emmett, I'm-"

He was there in an instant, holding a trashcan in front of me as I lost whatever was in my stomach. It wasn't much, mostly bile, but it burned and stung my still-bruised throat. I heaved and gagged painfully as Emmett rubbed the back of my neck. When the nausea subsided, a wet cloth was handed to me and I wiped my face.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, mortified that I'd done that in front of the detectives, but Whitlock brushed my apology away.

"No worries, Ms. Swan. That's nothing in comparison to some of the stuff we've seen," he assured me.

Alice handed me a mint and I took it gratefully, eager to erase the acidic taste from my mouth.

"Look, I'm sure you understand that my sister has been through a really fucking bad time. Is there anything else you need from her right now?" Emmett asked, protective big brother mode instantly taking over.

"No, I think we have everything we need," Cullen responded, reaching for the recorder and switching it off. He handed me a card. "If there's anything else, any questions you might have, don't hesitate to call, okay?"

I nodded. "Thank you."

The detectives took their leave and I slumped back against the pillows, suddenly exhausted.

"Em, when can I go home?"

"The doctor said in the morning, Bells, because they still want to monitor your eye. But, you're coming home with me. Your place is still a crime scene. Even after it's been cleared, it's gonna take a few days to fix the damage."

"Damage?"

"The police broke the door down, remember?" Alice clarified. "There's also bullet holes and, um, they're gonna need to rip up the carpet in the hallway."

I took me a few moments to realize that the carpet had probably been soaked with James' blood. I wanted to retch again, but managed to force the urge away.

"I've got a team ready to go in there and clean every inch of your apartment, Sis, as soon as they give the all clear," Emmett assured me, and I smiled at him thankfully.

The rest of my night consisted of Alice helping me to shower, Emmett going out to get us some decent food that wasn't from the hospital, then the three of us watching some TV together in my room.

_**Everyone still with me? I feel the need to post this disclaimer and I'm only going to post it once on this first chapter. I have researched as much as I can, but obviously I'm NOT an officer of the law. I'm really, really trying to give this as much authenticity as I can, but remember this is a work of FICTION, okay? Law and Order isn't authentic either, just sayin. LOL Creative license, yes? I'd love to hear your thoughts xox**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed Chapter 1! So, I guess I didn't make it totally clear in Chapter 1, but James is definitely dead. He will not be coming back, no worries. There are a couple paragraphs in this chapter that are not fun, some violent descriptions, but it doesn't last long, I promise. Just hang in there, yeah? Let's see how poor Bella is doing.**_

The doorbell rang in the distance, causing me to look up from my laptop. Since being released from the hospital the previous afternoon and moving into one of the guest bedrooms in Emmett's townhouse in Hyde Park, I'd been trying to catch up on my emails and some work-related details, despite my brother's protests. He wanted me to rest, but I wasn't tired. I needed to keep my mind occupied or else it wandered. And, I didn't like the places it was visiting. I didn't like seeing James' face when I closed my eyes, or feeling his phantom hand around my throat, or hearing the echo of his hateful words. None of these were enough to send me into a full blown panic attack or anything, but I really didn't want to dwell on them.

So, today I'd closed myself away in the bedroom and concentrated on going through both my work and personal emails. Emmett had already checked on me half a dozen times in the last couple of hours, and even though I knew he couldn't help it, that he was worried about me, it was driving me nuts. I understood that I wasn't in danger anymore - that James was dead - and I wished Emmett understood that as well.

I had a feeling that maybe he was waiting for me to have another episode, like I'd done in the hospital. I didn't feel like I was going to. Yes, what happened had been scary and ugly and traumatic, but it was over, and I just wanted to move on. I don't know if that was an unhealthy way of dealing with it what I'd been through, or not. I wasn't actively trying to forget it or erase it from my mind, but thinking about it all the time wasn't going to help either. Hell, maybe I needed to talk to a therapist or something. Was there a right or wrong way to deal with a situation like this?

Nothing in my work email was cause for worry. My staff was incredible and were certainly capable of keeping things running smoothly in my absence. And it's not like I was the owner of a gigantic, fifty floor, mega resort.

Luxe was what people referred to as a "boutique" hotel. Eight floors that contained forty-six guest rooms, eight suites, and my penthouse. The Lab - a cocktail lounge that also served appetizers and desserts - was located on the main floor, as well as a cozy gift shop that offered guests necessities they may have forgotten, plus snacks and drinks. My office was on the second floor, as was a spacious multipurpose room for parties and events. My apartment took up most of the eighth floor, the rest occupied by my private rooftop terrace.

So, Luxe was small by industry standards, yes, but I loved it with my whole heart. It was my baby, my dream that I'd somehow managed to make a reality, and I was proud of her stellar reputation. We were often booked to capacity - a great deal of them returning guests - and I knew that my staff had a lot to do with that. I had twenty-eight employees and I adored every one of them. In fact, a huge bouquet of multicolored roses had been delivered earlier, with a card signed by everyone at the hotel. It meant a lot to me, and I really couldn't wait to get back there.

After talking it over with me and deciding the best course to take, Emmett and Alice had issued a statement to the press. They didn't go into tons of details, but covered the basics. I was well known in Tampa, thanks to my last name as well as the reputation of my hotel. People were curious. I was actually tempted to Google myself and see what was being said, but hadn't yet. Ali had my phone and was fielding calls left and right. My staff had been instructed not to talk to any members of the press. So far there had been three requests for interviews; I wasn't planning on giving any. Likewise, the reporters who had taken it upon themselves to enter my hotel with the express purpose of trying to catch a glimpse of me were firmly evicted by my head of security, Tyler. The press wasn't sure where I actually was at the moment, and that's the way I liked it.

My Uncle Marcus had stopped by the hospital yesterday morning before I was released, apologizing profusely for not coming sooner, but he had been in Germany on a business trip and only just got back; in fact he came straight to the hospital from the airport. I'd waved away his concerns, knowing he had came as soon as he could. Emmett had called him when everything first happened and kept him updated. I was just happy to see my father's older brother, he'd always been kind and helpful to both Emmett and myself and I loved him. He promised to visit again soon.

My personal email held some very heartwarming notes of comfort and encouragement from friends and extended family, and while I appreciated all of them, I just couldn't find it in me to respond yet.

A knock sounded on my closed bedroom door and I sighed heavily.

"I'm fine, Emmett! I promise," I called. The next thing I knew, my door opened and two furry felines streaked into the room.

"Oh, there's my beauties!" I crooned as Ginger and Mary Ann climbed all over me, meowing belligerently. I guessed I was getting my ass handed to me in cat-speak for abandoning them.

Ginger, who was indeed a true ginger, headbutted me a few times and I had to turn my head so she wouldn't get me in my swollen eye or stitched cheek. Meanwhile, Mary Ann - fluffy white except for her face and the tip of her tail, which were dove gray - rolled over in my lap and demanded a belly scratch. I'd adopted both of them as little kittens when I first moved into my penthouse, and they were spoiled rotten.

"My three favorite ladies, together again."

My head lifted at the sound of Jake's voice; the smile he was sporting immediately fled when he saw my face.

"Oh, honey," he sighed, walking over and sitting beside me on the king-sized bed. He wrapped a mammoth arm around me and pulled me against his six and a half foot frame. I snuggled into him, cats and all. Jake was a good friend, and I'd often availed myself of his broad shoulder.

"I'm okay, Jakey," I sighed. "Thanks for taking care of the girls."

"No worries, Bells. Jesus, I can't believe this happened."

"Join the club," I replied with a snort.

"That piece of shit. If he wasn't already dead. . ."

"You sound like Emmett," I said with a weak laugh.

"How are you really doing, baby girl?" he asked, his dark brown eyes filled with concern.

"Physically, I'm doing okay. I still have a headache and my throat and eye are sore, but I'm coping. Mentally, on the other hand? I'm . . . dealing." I sighed. Jake squeezed me closer. "What I do know is that my brother's driving me insane. I love him, but if I hear 'is everything okay, do you need anything?' one more time, I'm gonna scream."

"He's just worried about you, Bells."

"I know he is, and I really do appreciate how he always takes care of me, but I'm a big girl. And nothing Emmett does is going to stop what's going on in my head. I'm trying to stay busy, but every time he asks me if I'm okay it just brings it all to the front of my mind again. But, you know what's bothering me the most, Jake? Out of everything?"

"What?"

"That James had me so fucking fooled. That I had absolutely no clue he would ever be capable of something like this. I mean, how did I not know? How did he completely hide that side of himself? The police found drugs at his apartment, Jake. Meth, heroin, pot. And I knew _nothing _about it! I feel so fucking stupid! I trusted him, I _slept _with him, and then he turns around and does this? He was only ever interested in my money. What kind of person is that?"

"Sweetie, he fooled all of us. I mean, I wouldn't say he was my most favorite person in the world, but he could be pretty charming motherfucker at times. I never dreamed he'd turn out to be such a monster. He must have been completely strung out."

"Yeah, the detectives I talked to last night said that the toxicology report was sure to show a bunch of crap," I said with a sigh.

Ginger burrowed her way in between Jake and I, rubbing her face all over both of us, causing me to giggle a little bit. Mary Ann, not to be ignored, started kneading my legs and purring loudly.

"You're cats are so weird," Jake said with a slight laugh. "They act more like dogs. They did miss you, though. Seth ended up giving them that sweater you left at our place last week and they've both been sleeping on top of it."

"I missed them, too. And, I really can't wait to go home."

"You're not. . . hesitant? To go back there, I mean?"

"No," I said firmly. "He invaded _my _space. My home. I refuse to allow his memory to have any control over my feelings. Sure, I might get a little freaked out when I return, I might even have some nightmares, but I've never been a scaredy-cat and I'm not going to start now. I need to get on with my life and put this behind me."

"Have you thought about talking to anyone? Like a therapist, I mean? After going through something so traumatic, it might be a good idea."

I sighed.

"The thought has crossed my mind, yes. But, I honestly think I'm doing okay, Jake, all things considered. He didn't rape me, he didn't inflict any permanent damage. He was an asshole who hurt me, but he can't any more. He's gone and he's never coming back."

"Just promise that if there comes a time when you _can't _deal, then you'll talk to someone, okay?"

"I will, I promise."

"Okay."

"Have the cops questioned everyone? They said they were gonna interview all the employees and find out how James managed to access my floor. Do you have any clue how he might have done it?"

"Honestly, baby girl, I don't. And, yes, all of us have been questioned. Billy says James never came through the lobby doors, Alec was working the front desk and he never saw James at all that night. None of the housekeepers saw him, and neither did any of the valets. No one spotted him in The Lab, or the shop, either. I think the cops are still following up on a few things, though."

I nodded.

Jake stayed a little while longer and we talked about a few things concerning the hotel before he left. He was my right hand at Luxe; his official title was manager, but he did so much more than that. Jake was anal about details and always made sure everything was running smoothly, whether I was there or not. His boyfriend Seth was head bartender at The Lab and both of them had become very close friends in the years since they started working for me.

Later that evening, Alice came by with dinner and my phone.

"There's been another interview request," she told me as we slurped lo mein noodles from white take-out cartons. "News Channel Eight this time. I told them the same as everyone else, that you weren't interested. I don't think it will take very long for all of this to settle down. People will lose interest when they realize that you're not going to give them anything, ya know?"

I nodded, popping a piece of sesame chicken in my mouth, so thankful for her steady presence these last few days. Alice was one of my very best friends, the sister I never had. We met at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and had hit it off right away. When I'd actually started the process of buying the hotel and turning it into my vision, she helped me immensely. She was 'officially' my events planner and hotel spokesperson, but, like Jake, she was so very much more to me. Personal assistant, sounding board, travel agent. Basically, Alice was a downright miracle worker and I'd be simply lost without her.

"Oh, but one important thing. Detective Cullen called while I was on my way over and asked if he could meet with you. He said something about the toxicology report and also that he might know how James got to your door. But, he wouldn't tell me, he wants to talk to you directly."

"I'll call him when we're finished eating," I decided.

"So, the cops have officially cleared your place, it's not a crime scene anymore and Emmett scheduled the cleaning and restoration crew for first thing tomorrow morning. I know you're anxious to be home."

"You know me so well, Ali," I said with a small laugh. "Yes, I want to go home. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Emmett, but you know he's driving me nuts. I'm happy to stay here, but it's not _mine. _It's not the place that I worked so hard to make my own."

"Soon," she said, squeezing my hand before getting up to throw away our empty containers.

I took a deep breath and dialed Detective Cullen's number, which Alice had saved in my phone.

"Cullen," a deep voice barked.

"Detective Cullen, this is Bella Swan."

"Ms. Swan, I'm glad you called so quickly. We got the toxicology report back and we also have a lead on how James showed up on your floor. Do you have time to meet?"

I glanced at the clock. It was quarter to seven, still early.

"Yes, Detective, I can meet you."

"Great, should I come to you?"

"Actually, no. I'm at my brother's place in Hyde Park, but I'd love to get out of here for a while." I didn't really want to meet the detective somewhere crowded, seeing as my face still looked like it had been through the meat grinder. I thought quickly."Do you know where Anderson Park is? On Rome?"

"Yes."

"Give me about twenty minutes and I'll meet you by the lion fountain."

Alice asked if I wanted her to come with me when I told her where I was going.

"No, that's okay, Ali. I'll be fine."

"Fine with what?" Emmett asked as he entered the room.

"Fine with going to meet Detective Cullen." I stated, bracing myself for what I knew was coming.

"You shouldn't go by yourself, Bells. I'll drive you. Or Felix can take both of us. We can-"

"Emmett, please," I interrupted. "I need to get out of here, just for a little while, okay? I love you, but I'm feeling a little bit smothered. I need some room to breathe."

His determined expression turned into one of hurt and I immediately felt bad. He always took such good care of me. I walked over and framed his face between my hands, looking up into his blue eyes.

"You know I appreciate everything you've done for me, have always done for me. You're the best big brother in the world. But, please just let me do this, okay? I can handle it."

He looked for a moment like he was going to argue, but resignation filled his features.

"Will you at least let Felix take you? You shouldn't be driving with your eye still like that. And you never know when the press is lurking around."

"I will. Thank you, Em." I leaned up and kissed him on the cheek before heading to my room to get changed.

Fifteen minutes later I was being ushered into the backseat of Emmett's silver town car by Felix, who worked for our family as far back as I could remember. It didn't look to me like anyone was watching us or following us, so the fact that I was staying with my brother might still be on the down-low. It's not as though I was usually hounded by paparazzi like an actual celebrity, but there were times over the years that I did get bothered by them.

The drive didn't take more than five minutes and I asked Felix to wait for me while I went to meet Detective Cullen. He was already there when I arrived, sitting on one of the benches surrounding the circular fountains that boasted beautifully carved lion statues. It sort of shocked me to see him not wearing a business suit like the day before. He was in jeans and a lightweight blue hoodie, Converse sneakers on his feet. His hair, which had apparently been tamed the day we met, was a bit wild and windblown; in the fading daylight I could see that it was actually a mix of colors ranging from brown to auburn to copper. Very unique. He stood as I approached and I realized that he wasn't quite as tall as I'd thought the first time we met. I judged him to be just under six feet – still towering over my five foot three frame - but I guess from my hospital bed he had appeared quite imposing, lending the illusion of height.

"Is this Casual Friday?" I asked, gesturing to his appearance.

He smiled widely at my query and it completely changed his face. He looked younger for sure, and the sight of his straight white teeth, not to mention the crinkles at the corners of his green eyes made me almost do a double take. Wow, Detective Edward Cullen was actually very handsome. Of course, I'd noticed his looks when I was being interviewed. But, now. . . well there was just no way around it. He was quite striking.

"Technically, I'm off duty," he explained. "But, when the toxicology report came back I figured you'd want to know as soon as possible."

"Absolutely, thank you for calling me," I assured him, taking a seat on the bench and waiting until he did the same.

"How's your eye?" he asked, gesturing to it. I slid off my sunglasses so he could see.

"The swelling is going down," I said. "I have to go back to the doctor tomorrow to have it checked again, but they've assured me there's no permanent damage. I'll have a bit of a scar once the stitches come out next week."

Detective Cullen nodded. "It'll barely be noticeable when it's healed," he said with conviction.

"You sound quite sure of that."

"Got a lot of experience with stitches," he stated with a shrug. "Occupational hazard."

"Ahh, I see."

He picked up a manila envelope that was resting on the bench beside him and pulled out a sheet of paper from inside.

"This is the toxicology report on James Chaser. It shows that alcohol, methamphetamine, and oxycodone were all found in his system." He pointed out the various paragraphs on the report. "I think that backs up your claim that he seemed as if he had 'checked out'. The cause of death is listed as a gunshot wound to the head, fired by Officer Wilcox who was acting in self defense since Chaser opened fire on the officers who responded to the nine one one call. His partner, Officer Jensen, as well as the nine one one audio backs up everything."

I looked over the paper, still a bit dazed by the information in front of me. They had very literally saved my life and I was so grateful to them. I made a mental note to thank them properly. I owed them so much.

I felt the weight of Detective Cullen's gaze, and looked up to meet the startling green as he studied me without speaking. I finally had to look away.

"Uh, you mentioned you might have a lead on how James gained access to my floor?"

He seemed to shake himself a bit before reaching into the envelope once more and pulling out another piece of paper. Upon closer inspection I saw it wasn't a paper, but a photograph. It showed a little black box with numbers on it, sort of like a key pad or calculator.

"We found this hooked up to the elevator's main computer. Whoever put it there programmed it to override the system. This is how Chaser got to you."

"But where did he get it from?"

"There were no prints found on the device, but now that we're fully aware of his background, I'm sure he had quite a few unsavory acquaintances willing to make some money. We're still reviewing the security tapes; hopefully we can manage to catch a glimpse of whomever installed that."

"To go to such lengths. . ." I broke off with a sigh. "I guess it was his last ditch effort to try and convince me. I mean, I'd told him 'no' so many times before and I knew that I was going to end things with him. Actually, when he showed up at my door - before things got crazy – I thought to myself that it was a perfect opportunity to tell him once and for all that I didn't want to see him anymore, that I wanted a clean break. I mean, I'd been avoiding him for a while before that, I'm sure he knew it was coming."

"Desperate people do desperate things. He saw the money slipping away from him. Mix in some serious drugs with that? It's a very scary combination."

"Don't I know it," I said with a humorless laugh. "So, that's it then? I mean, obviously I want to know what you find out about whomever hacked my elevator, but there's really not much left that you need me for, right?"

"No, I don't think we'll need you to give any more statements or anything. It's pretty much an open and shut case with only this loose end to tie up," he said, gesturing to the photograph. "Can I ask you something, Ms. Swan?"

"Sure, but please call me Bella."

He nodded.

"Are you sleeping okay? Having nightmares or flashbacks? Panic attacks?"

"I haven't had any flashbacks or panic attacks, no. Well, besides the one you witnessed in my hospital room. I'm sleeping okay, I suppose. I've had a few dreams, but nothing horrific."

"I know a really great therapist, if you need to talk to someone."

"You know, you're the second person today that's asked me if I'm going to talk to a therapist," I told him with a frown, suddenly annoyed. Why did they think I was going to fall apart?

"It's completely normal, under the circumstances, to-"

"Detective Cullen," I interrupted him. "I do appreciate your concern, but I have to be honest with you. Between my brother, Jake, and you. . . I feel as though you guys are just waiting until I have some sort of nervous breakdown, like I'm on a watch list, or something. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told them. Yes, what happened to me was scary and traumatic, but I'm stronger than that. James didn't rape me, didn't cause me any irreparable damage. I won't allow the memories of him or what happened to have control over my life. I refuse to allow that," I finished.

He was silent as he looked at me, his green eyes intent as they traveled over my face. What he said next surprised the hell out of me.

"My mother is a rape survivor."

My eyes widened.

"I was seven," he said, gazing out over the park. "I didn't find out all the details until I was quite a bit older. We lived in Lakeland back then, and a man broke into our house. My father was out of town, attending a medical convention, and this guy knew that because he lived in the neighborhood. He forced his way inside in the middle of the night, while we were sleeping. He held my mother at gunpoint point while he raped her, and threatened to kill me if she put up a fight. I slept through the whole thing, in my bedroom across the hall."

He glanced down at his hands and took a deep breath, before continuing.

"He left when he was finished and she called the police. I still, to this day, don't know why he didn't kill her; he had to have known that she would report him since she knew who he was. He went on the run, and they didn't catch him for another five months. My mother lived in fear the whole time. They finally arrested him in Texas, brought him back here, and charged him with the assault and rape. Turns out he was a suspect in four other unsolved rape cases. Six weeks after he was taken into custody, he got into a fight with another inmate and ended up getting his throat slit open."

I was speechless, listening to his story. What a horrific tale, and to know that he was just a little boy at the time, sleeping peacefully in his bed while his mother was enduring such terror? It just broke my heart.

"I know first hand about the after-effects of a situation like this, Bella. My family lived it. My mother suffered from PTSD; she had nightmares and panic attacks for literally years. My father stood by her side through everything, even when she couldn't bear for him to even touch her, and even when she tried to overdose on sleeping pills when I was eight. He watched her have setback after setback, watched her struggle to come to terms with what happened, all the while dealing with his own guilt for having left us alone. But finally, with time and the help of therapy – for both of them- things began to get better, little by little. She healed, but it took her a long time."

"Why are you telling me this?" I whispered.

"Because I want you to know that if it gets to be too much, you have choices, Bella. I know you're a strong woman, given what you've been through in your life you'd have to be. But, even the strongest of people need help sometimes. I just don't want the ugliness to get locked up inside of you."

I considered his words, but then something else occurred to me.

"Is that why you became a cop, because of what happened to your mother?"

"Yes."

"I'm honored that you trust me enough to tell me all of this, Detective Cullen. It's a horrific thing that your mother had to endure. But, honestly, what I went through is so inconsequential compared to that. I wasn't violated."

"Everyone reacts differently to trauma, Bella. What might not seem like a huge deal to one person can feel like the absolute end of the world to another."

"I know, and I already told everyone that if I did feel like I wasn't dealing with things successfully, then I would talk to someone. But honestly, the thought of spilling my guts to a perfect stranger gives me as much anxiety than thinking back on what happened to me. I'm a very private person."

"I can definitely understand that, given the way your family has been in the spotlight over the years."

My phone beeped just then, with a text. It was from Emmett.

_Everything ok?_

I sighed and showed the text to Detective Cullen.

"How long have I been gone? Half an hour? I love him, but you can see why I wanted to get out of the house."

"He's just worried about you, I'm sure."

"Oh, I know he is. But, Emmett has always had this issue of never really seeing me as a grown woman. I think he still pictures me as the little girl in pig tails that followed him around everywhere."

I typed a quick reply to let him know I was fine and would be home soon, before standing up. Detective Cullen stood as well.

"I'll be in touch if we find out anything about the elevator device," he said.

"I'd really appreciate that, Detective."

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"I feel like we know each other pretty well now. Do you think you could bring yourself to call me Edward?" This was said with a raised eyebrow and small smirk. Oh, that smirk was something else.

"I suppose I could," I told him, slipping my sunglasses back on. "Thank you for meeting with me, _Edward_." I liked the way my lips formed his name, puckering a little bit on the W.

He grinned, that wide smile that showed off his perfect teeth and made his eyes do the crinkle thing again.

"Take care, Bella."

That was the first night I dreamt of Edward Cullen.

TBC

_**Everyone still with me? :) **_


	3. Chapter 3

_**This is a long chapter, but one I hope was worth the wait :) **_

"Bella, I can't find Alice and I need to know where these last two go."

I turned to find Sam walking towards me. Tall, thin pedestals topped with pink lilies and roses were in each of his hands.

"She's talking to the caterer at the moment, but I'm pretty sure those go in front of the windows, Sam. One on each side of the archway. They're easy to move, if need be."

He nodded and headed in that direction.

I looked around the multipurpose/event room with satisfaction. There was a wedding taking place at Luxe this evening and Alice had really outdone herself. Everything was decorated in shades of pink and gold with crystal accents, and the scent of fresh flowers filled the air. It was going to be a small, intimate wedding, only fifty guests. The ceremony itself was taking place in here, right in front of the large windows, in less than an hour.

This was the first major event at the hotel since I'd returned to work almost three weeks ago and I relished the feeling of being back in the swing of things. I'd missed the day to day interactions with my staff and guests.

"That's perfect, Sam!" Alice called as she hurried into the room. "You're the best, no matter what Emily says!"

We all laughed. Emily was Sam's longtime girlfriend and to say that their relationship was 'tumultuous' was putting it lightly. We never knew, on any given day, if they would be unable to keep their hands off each other, or barely be on speaking terms. They both worked under Alice in the event planning department of the hotel.

"Everything looks amazing, Ali," I told her as she walked up beside me to survey the room. "You were right about those centerpieces."

"Of course I was," she said dismissively with a giggle. "Even though she's been a bit of a Bridezilla, there's no way Miss Lambright can be anything but thrilled with all of this. Jackson just finished up with the grooms photos and then he's gonna come and snap some in here before all the guests are seated. This will look amazing on the website."

I nodded. Luxe offered a wedding package that included catering, decor, and photography. Jackson was our very talented on-staff photographer. A few people had even tried to lure him away from us, but he remained loyal.

"I'm going to head upstairs, then. Call me if anything comes up, okay?" I requested of Alice.

"There won't be anything Jake and I can't handle, I'm sure. Go relax. I'll see you tomorrow." She shooed me away.

I decided to first go downstairs and make a quick stop at The Lab before going to my apartment. An outside company that Alice always used was handling the actual dinner with all its courses, but our in-house chef had made his famous chilled Asian pot stickers and miniature lettuce wraps for the wedding's pre-ceremony cocktail and hors d'oeuvre hour, which would be drawing to a close soon. I realized I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, and now my stomach was growling; I wanted to see if there were any snacks left.

I weaved through the clusters of beautifully dressed women and suit-clad men mingling with each other on the main floor. Blowing a kiss to Seth behind the bar, I was just about to duck into the kitchen when I heard my name being called. I turned around, surprised to see Detective Whitlock striding towards me. He was wearing a tuxedo.

"Miss Swan, I thought that was you."

"Detective Whitlock, are you here for the wedding?" I asked with a smile.

"Yes, ma'am. Garrett, the groom, is a fellow member of our force."

"Well, you look very dashing in your tux."

He grinned.

"Thank you kindly. How are you, Miss Swan?"

"Please, call me Bella. And I'm doing well, thanks."

He gestured to my eye. "Looks like you're all healed up."

"Yes, for the most part. There's still a bit of discoloration and the scar, but nothing good makeup can't hide," I answered with a wink.

"Your hotel is really something else," he said, glancing around. "It's very inviting."

"Thank you so much, that's very sweet of you to say. I owe it all to Alice, she has a great talent for putting colors and designs together."

"Miss Brandon? From the hospital?" His eyebrows rose.

"Yes, she's not just my friend, she's also my event coordinator, assistant, designer, you name it. She wears a lot of hats."

"Um, Bella, I hope I'm not overstepping here, but I wanted to ask you. Ah, are Miss Brandon and your brother in a relationship? I mean, a romantic one?" he asked, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

I stared at him, shocked, for about three seconds, before throwing my head back and laughing outright.

"No, they definitely are not," I assured him. "Alice and Emmett are like brother and sister, they've never been anything else. Truthfully, they fight like cats and dogs sometimes."

"Ahh, I see. The way they acted at the hospital. . . they do seem to be very close, and I just wasn't sure. Um, do you happen to know, is Miss Brandon seeing anyone else? I mean, does she have a boyfriend?"

I couldn't help but smile over his fumbling words.

"Detective Whitlock-"

"Jasper, please."

"Jasper, are you interested in Alice?"

His ears turned bright pink at my query.

"I believe I might be. I mean, I would like to get to know her better. She sure is pretty," he said with a shy smile. It was so very cute to see this man, who was used to dealing with criminals, get all flustered over a woman.

"Well, what I can tell you is that no, she is not involved with anyone at the moment."

"And she's here today?"

"Yes, she is. She'll be scurrying around doing a million things at once and making sure everything is perfect. I'm actually surprised you haven't bumped into each other yet."

"I was running late, got held up at the station and barely just got here in time for the grooms photos."

"Ah, I see. Well, I'm sure your paths will cross soon. Later on, after the ceremony and dinner, she'll have some down time and be able to relax."

He grinned.

"Well then, perhaps I'll make a point of seeking her out."

His phone beeped and he pulled it out of his pocket, reading a text.

"Apparently the groomsmen are needed," he said with a smile.

"Don't forget to turn your ringer off for the ceremony. The bride would be pissed," I teased him, earning a bark of laughter.

"No ma'am, I won't," he said with a smile. "Thank you, Bella. You've made my day!"

And with that he was off, his long legs carrying him back to his duties. I smiled to myself before entering the kitchen.

"Riley, please tell me you have some of those hors d'oeuvres left," I begged as I made my way towards the slightly built man in the chef's apron who was chopping something quickly and efficiently on the board in front of him. He threw me a grin before reaching into one of his refrigerated drawers and pulling out a plate covered in plastic wrap. Through the clear film I could see three little lettuce wraps and three pot stickers, the latter drizzled with spicy peanut sauce. My mouth watered.

"Of course I saved you some; I had a feeling you'd forget to eat again."

"You're my most favorite person in the whole world right now, you know that?" I asked as I unwrapped the plate and popped a pot sticker in my mouth. The ginger, pork, and peanut flavor exploded on my tongue and I hummed in approval as I chewed.

"Don't ever leave me, Riley," I begged, now biting into the lettuce wrap that was stuffed with a mixture of shrimp, sticky rice, and cilantro as well as Riley's secret spice mixture. Whatever the secret was, it was heavenly.

"You only love me for my hors d'oeuvres," Riley said with an exaggerated pout.

"Not true! I also love you for those sinful little chocolate lava cakes!"

I demolished the plate of snacks while I chatted with Riley and, after assuring him that I loved him for far too many things to count, I left him to his kitchen business. The crowd had dispersed by the time I made it to the elevator and I knew they were all being seated in anticipation of the wedding ceremony. I headed upstairs.

*EotN

I felt a sense of satisfaction and contentment move through me when I entered my apartment. The comfort and familiarity always soothed me every time I entered, no matter what kind of day I'd been having. Looking at it now, no one would ever be able to tell that a violent attack had happened; the cleaning team Emmett sent had been amazing, and everything looked exactly the same as it always had.

I'd worked hard in the three years since Luxe had opened to make the penthouse my own, make it a _home_. My family home, - the waterfront mansion where Emmett and I'd grown up, which had since been sold - always felt so cold to me, even as a child. Beautifully decorated, but more like a museum, filled with fine art and expensive furniture.

I wanted the opposite for my own place. I wanted warmth, so I chose shades of caramel and ivory and buttery yellow. I added splashes of color with whimsical artwork, throw pillows, and bright rugs. This was the one project that I hadn't sought out Alice's opinion. She'd helped with a few of the smaller details, but I'd been thinking a long time about what I wanted and I loved designing it all.

The main living area was an open floor plan, a big rectangle really. My kitchen was on one side, with its sleek stainless steel appliances, ivory painted cabinets, and moss green granite counter tops. On the other side lay a large living room filled with comfortable, overstuffed couches, a low coffee table, and plush velvet ottoman, all grouped around a fireplace with a flat screen television above. Two hallways branched from the main room. One opened off the living room to the right and led to the laundry room and guest bedroom and bathroom. The other was to the left, between the foyer and kitchen, and it was the path to my private rooms.

The far wall, opposite the foyer, held a wide bank of floor to ceiling windows and in the middle of them was a set of French doors that opened to the rooftop terrace. Out there, a big grouping of comfortable outdoor furniture was arranged around a stone fire pit with various potted plants and trees, all of it set under an elaborate cedar pergola. A large decoratively carved screen partly enclosed the near right corner of the terrace, behind which lay my guilty pleasure; the big sunken hot tub set into a wide deck made of stone and teak, with two plush loungers nearby.

A four and a half foot stone wall ran the perimeter of the whole terrace, making everything feel nice and private unless you strolled to the edge to look over downtown. When everyone was over – Alice, Emmett, Jake, Seth, mostly – we would sit out there a lot and just relax. It was my escape, my sanctuary, a great place to think. I spent many hours alone as well; reading, doing yoga, soaking in the hot tub, or just gazing into the flames of the fire pit.

Ginger and Maryann heard the alarm beep when I entered and came running. They twined around my legs as I re-locked my door – newly installed with a double steel deadbolt and touchscreen peephole - and shrugged off my jacket.

"Hello, my beauties."

I leaned down and stroked them both, earning gravelly purrs and growls. They followed me as I turned down the hallway to the left. I was eager to wash the day away with a nice, hot shower. Even though it wasn't quite seven o'clock, I looked forward to getting comfy in some pajamas and just chilling.

My bedroom was spacious, with the same bank of tall windows that the main room had, minus the French doors. Warm caramels and different shades of blue were the colors of choice in there, and all of my furniture was antique white. A king-sized canopy bed dominated the room, with tall posts on each corner that held up wooden beams crossing in an X overhead. The padded leather headboard rested against the wall, and a sumptuous butterscotch duvet contrasted prettily with baby blue pillows.

I paid a fortune for that sinfully decadent bed and pillow-topped mattress, and it was worth every single penny. It sat opposite the bank of windows, affording a great view of downtown Tampa. I'd invested in remote controlled black-out blinds, simply because as much as I loved the view, all those windows allowed the lights of the city to brighten my room too much when I was trying to sleep, not to mention when the sun rose and set. To the right of the bed, the wall held tall bookcases, a flat screen TV, and a fireplace with a comfy chaise in front. To the left was my walk-through closet with master bathroom on the other side.

It was there that I headed.

I turned the water on in the glass and stone shower enclosure and stripped my clothes off as it heated up. After grabbing a towel from the stack in the cabinet, I stepped inside the shower and let out a groan at how good the hot water felt. I'd been rushing around all day, working with Alice on all the wedding arrangements and also dealing with the hotel's day to day business. I hadn't realized I'd been holding so much tension in my shoulders until the water hit and I felt them relax.

I squeezed some face cleanser into my hands and gently washed off my makeup, being careful around my cheek and eye area because it was still tender. There was just a slight bruise there, and now that the stitches were out only a thin line of shiny pink remained, one that was easily camouflaged with makeup, like I'd told Jasper.

Thinking of Jasper led to thoughts of Edward.

I'd spoken to him on the phone twice over the last few weeks. Our conversations weren't long; both times he called just to clarify something in the statement I'd given. They were still no closer to finding out who helped James access my floor via the elevator, the security footage 'mysteriously' blank. But, as short as the conversations were, I couldn't deny that his voice just _did _things to me. Thrilling, heated, pulsing things. Which shocked the hell out of me when it happened, considering the events that had led to our acquaintance. But I couldn't deny it, didn't even bother to try. He was an enigma to me.

The night after my meeting with him in the park, Edward entered my dreams.

It was just impressions, really, that first time. His green eyes, the sound of his voice, his smile. I'd woken with my heart pounding and his name echoing in my head. Each dream after that first one– and there had been quite a few – became more intense. My subconscious just delighted in tormenting me, because it urged him to do the most wicked things. There was no way his tongue could actually be as skillful in reality as it was in my dreams. He couldn't possibly make me beg and plead for mercy just by sucking on my nipples and whispering naughty things. I knew that. But, Dream Edward was a man of many talents.

It was certainly a welcome departure from the occasional nightmare I still had about James. They were lessening, though; none had bothered me in the last four nights. Dream Edward was a talisman of sorts, it appeared. He kept my demons away.

Thinking of last night's dream – the most erotic to date – caused a shiver to run through me, even though I was standing under a veritable downpour of steaming hot water. I closed my eyes as I massaged shampoo into my hair, wishing it were his strong hands on my scalp. His fingers were quite long, and they definitely had a starring role in our nocturnal encounters more often than not. As I rinsed the lather away, I remembered how Dream Edward had stroked me with those fingers. Sliding through my hair, pinching my nipples, slipping into the wet flesh between my thighs before delving deep inside me.

I absently slicked conditioner through my hair, then reached for the body wash, my mind still on all the naughty ways Dream Edward had coaxed pleasure from me. Spreading the creamy, peach-scented gel all over, I imagined my hands were his instead. They smoothed over my skin, cupped my breasts, squeezed my nipples firmly, encouraging the delicious ache to blossom in my core. They slipped lower, over my stomach, and lower still, gliding through the small triangle of trimmed hair above the cleft of my sex. I slid a finger between my swollen lower lips and stroked myself ever so softly, imagining it was Edward's tongue gently lapping at me, just like he had in my dream last night. I teased my pussy with light touches until it throbbed almost painfully in response, wanting to be filled and fucked.

A fantasy rose in my mind's eye of Edward kneeling in front of me, there in the shower. He spread the lips of my pussy wide with his thumbs, gazing at my exposed sex, before leaning forward to suckle my wet clit into his mouth.

My fingers moved more swiftly, rubbing and pressing, and my hips rolled rhythmically, unable to be still.

I swore I could _feel _his hot breath on me.

In the erotic fantasy I conjured, I saw him look up, those green eyes so carnal as he slid his tongue inside me, in and out and in again, fucking me with its length as he held my gaze. That image was all it took. I came swift and hard with a strangled cry, my head thumping back against the tiled wall as my legs weakened.

_Hot damn._

It took me a few moments to pull myself together enough to complete my shower, but before too long I was snuggled in soft flannel sleep pants and a tank top, skin scented with my favorite peach lotion. My stomach growled as I was combing out my wet hair, reminding me that I'd only had breakfast and a little plate of hors d'oeuvres all day. And that big, sparkly, self-inflicted orgasm almost certainly contributed to my appetite as well; it takes a lot of energy to come that hard.

After throwing my hair up in a bun, I perused my kitchen. My housekeeper, Mrs. Mavis, came in three times a week and she had stocked my fridge yesterday. I found a container of her homemade chicken salad and made myself a sandwich, adding some bbq chips before taking my food and a can of hard cider out onto the terrace. I sank onto the padded bamboo loveseat in front of the firepit, propping my feet on the edge of the wide ceramic bowl. My girls jumped up beside me, making themselves comfortable on the soft cushions.

As I ate my sandwich, I wondered what Edward was doing at that same moment. Was he working? Did he live alone, or did he have a wife or a girlfriend? He didn't wear a wedding ring and hadn't mentioned being in a relationship, but aside from the meeting in the park our conversations had been fairly brief. No other man I'd encountered before had made such an impression on me, and I didn't know if it was because we had met under the circumstances we had, but I was more attracted to him than I'd ever been to anyone else. Ever.

And it wasn't just because he was so good-looking. I'd been with a fair amount of men in my life thus far; handsome, educated, ambitious men, a few of whom were really great in bed. But none of them held a candle to Edward Cullen. There was just _something _about him that drove me crazy. First and foremost was the way he studied me so intently with those green eyes, like he was trying to read my mind, to see what was in my soul. I felt like I could stare into those eyes forever.

The fact that he trusted me enough to share such a personal story about his family also endeared him to me. I'd seen very real emotions flash through his expression as he had recounted that sad and scary tale, and my heart still ached for what his mother, indeed all of them, had gone through. Edward Cullen intrigued me, and I feared that I was becoming slightly obsessed with him. My mind wandered to him constantly throughout the day. I'd even talked about him with Alice. She agreed that he was handsome, but apparently he wasn't 'her type'.

I smiled as I thought about Jasper and his intentions to seek her out.

I remained out on the terrace for a long while, just relaxing; stroking my cats and thinking about things. I switched on the fire pit even though October in Florida was hardly cold; I just liked to watch the flames. It relaxed me.

When I'd been interested in men in the past I was always pretty forthcoming; I hated the waiting and wondering game. If I wanted to talk to them, I'd call them. I liked men, and had a very healthy enjoyment of sex. I had asked guys out on dates before, but this situation had me questioning everything. If I did ask Edward to dinner or something – if he was, in fact, single- would he only say yes because he felt sympathy for me, because of what had happened to me? He didn't strike me as the type of person that would be dishonest, but again I really didn't know him that well. And apparently I wasn't as good a judge of character as I'd always believed, or I would have gotten a clue to James' true nature before all hell broke loose. I hated doubting my instincts, but now it was hard not to.

Ugh, I was starting to annoy myself.

Glancing at my watch, I saw it was almost ten o'clock. I stood and stretched, then stowed the blanket and switched off the fire pit. I gathered my plate and empty can and brought them inside, locking the French doors behind me with two hungry kitties following close at my heels.

I wandered through my apartment, switching off lights, tidying a few things up, and filling the girls' food and water bowls. They thanked me quite loudly. I was strangely restless, even after my intense orgasm and belly full of food. I considered turning the TV on, but the thought was unappealing to me. I didn't want loud; I wanted to relax.

I did have a recent Dean Koontz novel that I was about halfway through and really enjoying. With that thought in mind, I went looking for it. Reading a good book always relaxed me.

After fifteen minutes of fruitless searching, I realized it wasn't anywhere in my apartment. Thinking back, I remembered that I'd been reading it a few days prior when I'd eaten lunch in my office. I must have left it there.

I didn't bother getting changed. I probably wouldn't run into anyone, and my staff had certainly seen me in my jammies on more than one occasion. The hotel was my home, after all. I did throw on a hoodie, though, to try and camouflage the fact that I didn't have a bra on under my thin tank top. I mean, I wasn't carting around bouncing double Ds or anything, just barely C cups, but better to err on the side of caution.

I slipped on a pair of flip flops and rode the elevator downstairs. When the doors opened on the second floor, I could immediately hear music thumping from the wedding reception. My office was tucked around a corner in the opposite direction and it was there that I headed. I quickly punched the lock code into the keypad on my door and opened it, stepping inside and turning the light on. My office wasn't huge, but it was cozy and I liked it. There was a great view of the street in front of the hotel and Alice had decorated it for me in soothing shades of gray and green.

I spied the book on the little end table next to my comfy loveseat and went to retrieve it, happy at the thought of curling up in bed and getting engrossed in the suspense thriller.

"Bella?"

Letting out a loud screech as the unexpected voice startled the wits out of me, I spun around to find it's source.

Oh. My. God.

Edward looked absolutely sinful, leaning in the door frame. That unique hair was totally rumpled, cheeks flushed, his tuxedo jacket was hooked on one finger and flung over his shoulder, and his bow tie was undone and draped loosely around his neck. The top two buttons of his shirt were open and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. My wide eyes immediately latched onto the tattoos I could see on his strong forearms. Until now he'd always had sleeves covering his arms and I'd had no clue all that ink was there.

My gaze traveled up to meet his.

"I'm sorry if I scared you," he offered, taking a step into the room. "I was just leaving and saw you heading this way. I wanted to say hello."

I swallowed hard, my heart still pounding but not entirely from fright.

"I saw Jasper earlier, but I didn't realize you were here with the wedding as well," I said slowly, trying to compose myself and not think about the fact that I'd came like a freight train after masturbating to a fantasy of this man going down on me in my shower mere hours ago.

Now was definitely _not _the time to think about that.

Still, I had no control over my nipples. They peaked tight and hard almost immediately, and I was ever so grateful I'd thrown on the hoodie.

"Yes, he mentioned that," Edward said. "Your eye looks really well. I knew there wouldn't be much of a scar."

My hand immediately rose to trace the thin line on my cheek.

"My doctor told me it would fade more over time, too. It really doesn't bother me that much," I said with a shrug. My feet brought me several steps closer to him, completely without my permission. "Did you have a good time at the wedding?"

"I did. Though, I feel like I'm getting too old to party all night long," he admitted with a smirk.

"Yes, you're quite ancient," I agreed with a straight face. "You must be pushing, what, thirty by now? Definitely one foot in the grave."

His eyebrows shot up and he let out a chuckle before stepping closer.

"Thirty-one, actually. As of this past June."

"Good genes," I murmured before I could stop myself. Then I immediately blushed. "Uh, I mean you look younger. Than that."

He took another step and my eyes were once more drawn to the ink on his skin. Noticing me looking at them, he smiled before tossing his jacket onto my desk and wordlessly holding out both arms.

From what I could see, his left one was covered down to almost his wrist in a sleeve of steampunk-inspired wheels, cogs, and gears, all designed to make it look like an amazingly realistic bionic arm, with copper tendons and rivet-studded bones. Done in shades of blacks and browns and rusts, it was very impressive and unlike anything I'd seen before.

His right arm was not as adorned, but still quite beautiful. There was a very detailed compass on the inside of his forearm, and curling around his elbow I saw part of a gorgeously colored and gracefully curved mermaid tail. It was all blue and green swirls with intricate scales, ending in a delicate, fanning fin. It disappeared up under his shirt and I tilted my head to gaze up at him, asking the question with my eyes.

He looked uncertain for a moment before he undid a few buttons and shrugged his arm out of the shirt so I could see the whole thing.

She was stunning. There was no real nakedness because the image depicted the mermaid looking back over her shoulder. Her arms were crossed in front of her, fingertips peeking around her ribcage. The blue-green tail faded into skin and her back was a long, elegant line. Clouds of wavy brown hair floated around her ethereal face, as though swirling in an underwater current. Her eyes were aquamarine and her smiling lips a deep pink. The tattoo covered his muscled outer bicep and traveled down past his elbow. It was absolutely gorgeous.

So was what I could see of his muscled chest, the firm, pale skin sparsely dusted with light brown hair.

"She's beautiful. Whoever did the work is really amazing," I said softly.

"Jasper's sister did all of them," he supplied, sliding his arm back in the sleeve and re-buttoning his shirt. "She's the best I've ever seen and the only one I trust with my skin."

In this close proximity, I could smell Edward. There was a woodsy-citrus scent that I assumed was his cologne, and something a little more musky. I had a feeling that was simply the smell of _him_. Essence of Edward. It was divine, and I had the craziest urge to just bury my face in his chest and gulp deep lungfuls of his scent. I took a tiny step back before my body gave into that temptation without any orders from my brain.

"I've always wanted to get a tattoo," I said softly. "I've just never really decided on anything. I want it to be meaningful, ya know? If I'm going to mark my body, carry it with me for the rest of my life, it has to have some meaning."

"I absolutely agree," Edward answered.

"So, why the bionic arm?" I asked, gesturing to the image on his skin. He crossed his arms and leaned back against my desk.

"Five years ago, before I made detective, Jasper and I were called to the scene of a robbery in progress. Things went south and one of the suspects had a knife. He sliced me pretty badly and broke my arm in two places before he was subdued. I ended up needing a fuckton of stitches and there's also a metal rod and some pins in there. The guys started calling me The Bionic Man," he said with a laugh and an eye roll.

"Anyway, it took forever to heal and I went through some really intense physical therapy. I regained about ninety percent of my mobility. Two years ago I decided on the tattoo. I wanted it as a reminder of how much it took to put me back together, how hard I worked to make it a functioning arm again. I've always loved anything steampunk-related and when Rosalie – that's Jasper's sister – showed me the design she came up with, it was just perfect. Plus, it covers the scars pretty well."

As I looked more closely at his forearm, I was able to discern some bumps and ridges of scar tissue, but he was right, it was barely noticeable.

"The compass?" I asked him, pointing to his other arm.

"To remind me to stay on the right path and trust my instincts."

"And her?" I nodded towards the mermaid.

"She-"

Just then his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and put it to his ear.

"Cullen," he barked "Yes. . . . No, he retracted the statement. . . .Right. . . .Well, why can't you. . .Okay, okay. . . Now? . . Yes. . . yes, fine."

He ended the call with a growl.

"Seriously, it's what, almost eleven?" He rolled his eyes, then picked up his jacket from my desk. "I have to go."

"I guess in your line of work, the hours can be crazy."

"That's an understatement," he said with a sigh. "It was good to see you, Bella. Take care, okay?"

"You too, Edward."

I watched him disappear from my sight and let out a sigh. Lord, that man was gorgeous, there was no two ways about it.

Back in my apartment, I had just curled up in bed and opened the book to the last chapter I'd been reading when my phone beeped from my nightstand. I reached over and grabbed it, seeing a text message.

_I'll tell you the mermaid story if you have coffee with me tomorrow – E_

I felt a squeal bubble up in my throat, one that would have done any twelve year old girl proud. My fingers were slightly shaking as I replied.

_**Such an intriguing offer, how can I refuse?**_

_Are you free around eleven?_

I jumped up and ran into the kitchen where I knew I'd left my day planner on the bar. Quickly flipping through it, I was thrilled to see that I was indeed free at that time. I'd penciled in a possible pedicure, but coffee with Edward sounded infinitely more appealing.

_**I do believe I am**_

_I'll come and get you_

_**Ok**_

I laid back against the pillows and let out a deep breath. Holy shit. Was this a date?

_**So there you have it. Detective Cullen has sexy tattoos, Bella has sexy dreams, and now I want potstickers. She seems like she's settling back into her normal routine, yes? Hmmmm wonder what will happen on the coffee maybe-date?**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Ok, so a lot of you are very curious about the story behind Edward's tattoo. You get to hear all about it in this chapter. And. . . a few other things happen, too. LOL Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and reviewing :) **_

"Sit still woman, before I poke you in the eye with this comb."

"Sorry," I huffed, sitting on my hands to stop them from fidgeting.

"Tell me what this fine hunk of a man looks like," Seth said as he spritzed my hair with some sort of shine-boosting product that he'd brought with him. "I got interviewed by a bottle blonde who needed her roots done so badly I was cringing. It was actually very distracting."

I laughed, knowing how much that would have bothered him.

"Well, he's kinda tall, I think just under six feet. His eyes are green, and he's got killer lashes, too. His hair is this crazy color that's red and brown and auburn all mixed together, but it really suits him," I said with what I'm sure was a dreamy sigh. "And he's got this jaw, ya know that strong, sharp, kind that you just want to lick?"

My eyes met Seth's in the mirror and he grinned.

"Oh, honey, I most definitely know that kind."

I loved Seth. He was my go-to guy for opinions on all things involving fashion and sex. Alice was like a sister to me, but for some reason I really wasn't all that comfortable having in-depth conversations with her about the size of a guy's dick. And our tastes definitely differed when it came to clothes. Her personal style was very cutting edge and in your face, usually involving tons of bright colors. It one hundred percent worked for her and she pulled off looks I don't think anyone else could. But her style was definitely not mine.

So it was Seth I usually turned to when I needed advice on everything from what to wear on dates and the pros and cons of dating a guy who waxed his pubes. A self-proclaimed man whore who identified as being bisexual when he fell madly in love with Jake, Seth was always happy to offer his opinion if I came to him needing advice. I'd been talking to him about ordering a certain brand of vodka for the bar when Alice had bounced over and told me that Jasper had indeed found her after the wedding and asked her out for dinner. She had happily said yes, admitting that she thought he was quite good-looking and his laid back demeanor was charming. In turn, I had told Alice about Edward asking me to have coffee. Seth demanded both primping rights and details, dragging me upstairs to my apartment and going through my closet.

"Ok, I think this look is perfect for a coffee date; casual, but feminine and pretty," Seth said as he stepped back from me.

And he was right, like he always was. It was warm out, so I wore a pretty, lilac-colored cotton sundress, the halter style top partly covered by a short-sleeved lacy cardigan in ivory, paired with pearly ballet flats. My cheeks were a subtle rosy pink, my eyes defined with smokey gray shadow and mascara, and I wore my favorite plum-colored lip gloss.

I eyed the slightly tousled bun that Seth had tamed my hair up into; a few wavy, wispy, lengths fell around my face.

"It doesn't look like I tried too hard?" I asked him. "I mean this is only a meet up for coffee, it's not like an actual date-date."

"Bella, you like him, right?"

"Yes."

"Then shut up and trust me. And, when he _does _get around to asking you on a date-date, I get to help."

I opened my mouth to respond, but just then my intercom buzzed. I walked over to the wall and pressed the button.

"Yeah?"

"Bella, Detective Cullen is here." Jake stated.

"I'll be right down, thanks."

Seth accompanied me down in the elevator, determined to get a look at Edward. I literally felt my heart jump in my chest when the doors opened and I saw him standing over by the front desk, looking at something on his phone. His head lifted and he smiled at me as we exited the elevator.

"Oh, honey. Marry him, and marry him now," Seth murmured, and I elbowed him in the side. Subtly, of course.

Edward did look amazing, I had to admit, in dark jeans and a long-sleeved light blue dress shirt. I felt a slight pang of disappointment that his arms were completely covered today.

"Hello, Edward. This is Seth Clearwater, the best bartender in the city and also Jake's boyfriend. Seth, this is Detective Edward Cullen."

"I'm the cute one," Seth said shamelessly, shaking Edward's hand. "Nice to meet you, Edward."

"You too, Seth."

"Well, you kids have fun. Don't bring her home past curfew, Detective."

And with that Seth strolled away, but not before throwing a wink at us over his shoulder, which made me smile and shake my head.

"Excuse him," I said to Edward. "He's actually quite lovable, when he's not being a pain in the ass."

Edward laughed.

"Shall we go?" he gestured towards the door.

The coffee house that Edward had chosen was within walking distance. He ordered our coffees after asking how I took mine -one sugar, one cream- and brought them to where I'd found a vacant table by the window.

"I've never been here," I said as he sat across from me. "Even though it's close by, I've never stopped in."

"I've had breakfast here a few times, they do a killer lox bagel."

I took a sip of my coffee and surreptitiously watched his lips as he did the same. Lord, that man had the most sensual lips.

"So, before I get into the story of my tattoo, I wanted to talk to you about something," Edward said, leaning closer to me so he didn't have to talk loudly over the chatter of the coffee shop.

"Okay?"

He was silent for a few moments, his eyes dropping to the table top as he ran a hand through his hair, mussing up the bright strands. He looked nervous. Then he took a deep breath and seemed to win some sort of internal struggle. He sat up straighter and his warm green gaze met mine.

"It occurred to me, after I texted you last night, that perhaps I should have been more forthcoming with the real reason for wanting to meet you today."

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting.

"The real reason?" I repeated, eyebrow raised.

He nodded.

"I've been going back and forth over this, but I've always felt like I can read people fairly well. So, I want to be truthful."

"Go on," I said, puzzled.

"Bella, I did not ask you to have coffee with me today to discuss my tattoo. Well, it's not the main reason, anyway, although I will be happy to-"

"Edward," I interrupted. "Could you just do me a favor and spit it out?"

"I like you, Bella."

I sucked in a quick breath at his words, unable to help it. His green eyes were as intense as ever as he studied my reaction. My inner twelve year old was bouncing on her bed and screeching _he likes me he likes me he likes me! _But outwardly I remained calm, because it sounded like there was a 'but' coming up.

I opened my mouth to say something - what, I had no idea - but he shook his head.

"I realize that you have been through an extremely traumatic experience and perhaps what I'm hoping for is literally the very last thing on earth you are interested in right now. Remember when you asked about my compass tattoo and I said it was to remind me to trust my instincts? Well, this is one of those times I feel like I should. Like I said, I've always been good at reading people, and what I'm picking up from you does give me hope that, uh . ." He broke off and cleared his throat, sitting more forward in his seat.

"What exactly are you picking up from me?" I had to know before he continued.

"Interest," he said after a long pause. "What I'm picking up is that you might feel the same attraction for me that I feel for you, the same one I've felt getting stronger every time I see you, the same one that led me to ask you here today for coffee because I was too chicken to ask you on a real date when I saw you last night and I completely used your questions about my tattoo as an excuse to see you again," he finished in a rush.

I blinked at him, considering everything he had just revealed.

"Your people-reading skills are pretty spot on," I finally said, my voice quiet as a hot blush bloomed on my cheeks. I had to look away from him, from those jade eyes that seemed to see completely inside me. I turned the coffee cup around and round between my hands, only stopping when he nudged my foot with his beneath the table and spoke my name softly. I took a deep breath and glanced up.

His smile was wide, and my heart sputtered in my chest.

"Yeah?" he questioned softly

I nodded.

"And this is something you'd be interested in. . . pursuing?"

"Yes."

"Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

"Yes."

He let out a laugh and ran his hand through his hair again.

"Well, damn. I thought it might take some convincing on my part, but that was pretty easy."

"Why did you think it might take some convincing?"

"Oh, a couple different reasons. First and most obviously, because of everything you've been through, like I mentioned. I thought maybe after what Chaser did, you'd be swearing off men forever."

I thought about that for a moment.

"I can see how a person in my position might be tempted to do that. But, I've never really been one to dwell on things, ya know? It's just not who I am. What happened, happened. But, it's done and over, why should I change my whole outlook on life because of it? What I've learned is that just because bad things happen, it doesn't mean good things won't."

Edward smiled and reached over to take my hand in his. His long fingers were calloused, but gentle as they closed around mine.

"I really like that you haven't let difficult circumstances dictate how you live your life."

_I_ really liked the way his hand felt; all big, and warm, and a little rough.

"Um, what were the other reasons?" I asked.

He raised his eyebrow at me in question.

"You said there were a couple different reasons that you thought you might need to convince me," I clarified, distracted by his thumb as it rubbed softly against my palm.

"Well, I got to thinking that even though I was pretty sure you were feeling the same, I wasn't sure you'd be interested in a cop."

"Oh shit, is this allowed?" I asked, all of a sudden realizing there might be rules about stuff like this."I never even thought about it, but would it be some sort of conflict of interest?" I gestured between the two of us. "Can this happen?"

"If this was an open and on-going investigation, then no. But, my work as the detective assigned to the case is over, aside from some paperwork. Officer Wilcox killed Chaser in self defense with loads of evidence to back that up, so no bad guys to catch there. The Cyber Crime unit is now handling the investigation as to how that device ended up in your elevator system. So, to answer your question? Yes, this can happen." He smiled slightly as he said that. "What I meant was, the two of us lead very different lives, come from very different backgrounds. I wasn't sure if the differences would be too much."

"Does it bother you?" I asked him. "That we, as you said, live very different lives? Does it make a difference to you?" In my experience, some men were intimidated by my wealth and some were not. I didn't peg Edward for the former.

He shook his head and squeezed my hand.

"No. I wouldn't be interested at all if I thought you were just a spoiled rich girl, only concerned with things that money could buy. But, I don't get that from you at all. From everything I've come to know, you work very hard and are completely dedicated to your hotel and your staff. You have wonderful relationships with your brother and your friends, you're smart and funny as well as gorgeous. I'm interested in getting to know you more, learn things that maybe other people don't know. And, I hope you're interested into getting to really know me, too."

One thing that he said in particular stood out, and maybe it really was vain of me, but I couldn't help it.

"You think I'm gorgeous?" I asked softly.

"I think you're stunning. Even from the very first time I saw you, at the hospital."

I scoffed. "Oh yeah, I was really attractive, puking in a trashcan with a black eye and stitches."

I tried to pull my hand from his, but he held on tighter, making me look at him.

"Bella, you can think whatever you like, but I'm telling you the truth. Yes, you were injured and overwhelmed. But, that didn't stop me from noticing how soft your skin looked, or how your dark hair was so shiny and your lips the prettiest shade of pink. It was a challenge for me to remain completely professional while taking your statement; I was outraged that something so awful had happened to you and I was twisted up inside because I was immediately attracted to you, then felt awful for even thinking about that when you'd been through so much. I felt so guilty, but I couldn't help it. The feeling was there immediately and it's only gotten stronger."

I was speechless. His eyes were alight with a fire and intensity that was quickly becoming familiar to me. My heart thudded in my chest, and heat immediately flooded my body. Tendrils of flame writhed between my thighs and licked at my suddenly tight nipples. I swallowed hard.

"And Bella? Now that your eye has healed properly, I can tell you that the beautiful brown reminds me of caramel and chocolate. Two of my very favorite things, just so you know," he said, his voice low.

His gaze dropped to my lips and I instinctively licked them. I wondered for what seemed like the thousandth time how it would feel if his lips were to cover mine, how he would taste if his tongue filled my mouth. This man could arouse me with just his words, as much as any of my previous lovers could using their hands and mouths and dicks. It was insane. He hadn't even said anything sexual, but it was his eyes, that _look _in his eyes, that promised wicked and decadent things if I was brave enough to go there.

Edward seemed to realize that I was feeling slightly overwhelmed. He squeezed my fingers gently and offered me a smile.

"So, my tattoo."

I nodded my head, encouraging him to talk while still completely aware of the fact that he was once more rubbing small circles on the palm of my hand.

He took a deep breath.

"When I was eleven, a girl named Tanya moved with her family into the neighborhood. We had moved to Davis Island and my mother was better by then, but everything that had happened definitely impacted my life and I just wasn't the happy go lucky, outgoing kid I had been before. Our backyards were against each other and we became friends. Tanya's parents were, well, suffice to say she did not have a happy home life. Her father drank a lot and her mother was more concerned with trying to placate him than she was with taking care of her daughter. They were wealthy and very concerned with appearances. Tanya was lonely and so was I. We were two kindred spirits."

"We became closer and closer and when I was thirteen I got up the nerve to kiss her. It was terrible," he said with a laugh. "Definitely not what I'd envisioned, and that's when we decided we would just remain friends. Best friends. The year after that, she finally confessed to me that she was gay. She couldn't tell her parents; they were extremely old fashioned and would never accept her lifestyle. All she wanted to do was turn eighteen so she could access the trust fund her grandmother had set up for her, and then she was leaving. She wanted to see the world and live by her own rules. She was an amazing artist, very talented at sketching and painting, and ultimately her goal was to become an art teacher and share her love with the world."

Edward picked up his coffee cup and took a sip, looking pensive before he continued.

"Mermaids were something she was obsessed with. Ever since we were very young. She was just enchanted by them, their beauty and all of the fairy tales and folk lore that made it seem like they lived just a wonderful, idyllic life under the sea. She told me all the time how she wished she could just magically become a mermaid and swim away from all her problems. I used to tease her a lot about it."

"When we were seventeen, her parents found out. That she was gay, I mean. Tanya had invited this girl she liked over to her house because her parents were supposed to be gone for the whole evening. But they came home early and found the two of them. . . well, they found them. There was a huge, horrible fight and Tanya was grounded from leaving the house except for school. She would sneak out at night, though, and meet me. She'd have bruises and I knew it was from her father. I was really worried about her, about what was going on at her house, but she just kept telling me that she would be fine in a few months, after her birthday, because then she would leave. She was planning on going to California. She knew her parents would never, ever be okay with the way she wanted to live her life, but she was doing it anyway."

His voice trailed off and the fingers still gripping mine became tighter. I waited, knowing he was going to tell me something that was obviously upsetting to him.

"About a week before her birthday, she snuck over to my house in the middle of the night. She was pretty banged up and I wanted to call the police, but she begged me not to, begged and pleaded. She said that if her father was arrested she would have to stay and talk to the cops and deal with her mother's anger and she just didn't want to do any of that. She only wanted to go. That night, we swiped a half empty bottle of vodka from my father's liquor cabinet and took it down to this place we liked to go. It was a park with a little pond, only a few blocks from home, and in the day time there were ducks and you could feed the fish, but at night it was deserted and we would go there a lot just to talk and hang out. It was our place. We drank that vodka like the stupid teenagers we were and talked about how it would be so great when she could finally just leave. I'd promised her that after I graduated I would come and see her in California and we really thought everything was going to be just fine. The world was our oyster, ya know?"

He took a deep breath.

"After the vodka was gone, I tried to convince her to go back to her house. I would help her sneak back in and she could sleep it off and be one day closer to her freedom. She cried and said she didn't want to go home. I knew how much trouble she would be in if she got caught and I did everything I could think of to convince her but she just kept crying and saying no. I finally decided to just pick her up and carry her home. She was so drunk and she let me, all the while rambling about how she really was a mermaid, how her legs disappeared when she went in the water. We got to her back door and she hugged me and I watched her as she went inside. I waited for a while to see if any lights would come on or anything that would indicate she'd been found out, but everything stayed dark and quiet so I went home and went to bed."

"The next morning my mom came to wake me up and the look on her face was so horrible. I thought something had happened to my dad, but then she started crying and told me that Tanya's body had been found in the pond."

"Oh, no," I whispered, squeezing his fingers with mine. "Oh, I'm sorry, Edward."

"Apparently, after I left her, she had went back there on her own. Her parents claimed she was suicidal and had done it on purpose, but I knew that wasn't true. She'd been _so_ close to getting everything she wanted. She would have never taken her own life."

Edward straightened up in his seat and took a slow breath. I could see that telling this story had been hard for him, even all these years after it had happened. I couldn't help but try and imagine him at seventeen, dealing with such an awful loss. It was really and truly tragic.

"Anyway, years later, on her birthday of all days, I dreamt of her. I was going through big changes in my life; my job as well as a particularly nasty break up, and I was under a lot of stress. I dreamed that she was a mermaid, a beautiful and happy creature, and I talked to her just like old times, telling her all the stuff that was happening and she gave me some really good answers," he broke off with a laugh. "I know that sounds insane since it was a dream, but it's the true."

"I don't find it that crazy," I said, remembering how vivid and real the dreams I'd had about _him _had been. "Dreams are sometimes where our hearts tell the truth."

He nodded.

"I woke up peaceful, but thinking about how much I just fucking _missed her. _I missed my friend. So I decided to get the tattoo in her memory. I wanted to be able to see her happy and beautiful, like in my dream. I had a photo of Tanya and took it to Rosalie and, well, you know the rest." He gestured to his sleeve-covered arm.

I ached to see the beautiful mermaid again, now that I knew.

"I'm really sorry you lost your friend, Edward. That must have been devastating for you. The tattoo is a beautiful tribute, though. Thank you so much for telling me the story."

"I, um, I haven't told very many people. Jasper and Rosalie, obviously, and my parents know, but I don't make a habit of explaining it to anyone."

"Well, I'm really glad you did."

Edward's phone went off just then and he withdrew his hand from mine as he sat back to answer it. I picked up my now lukewarm coffee and took a sip.

"Cullen. . . Yes, sir. . . .Yes, on my way."

He slid the phone back in his pocket and pushed his chair back.

"I'm really sorry, Bella, but I have to go. Even though I'm technically not on duty today, there's been a break in one of the cases I'm working. I have to get to the port."

I waved him off with a smile, knowing how unpredictable his job could be.

"It's okay, no worries."

"Can I call you later?"

"Of course. Uh, do you think we will need to reschedule tomorrow night? Because of your case?"

"No, no, that should still be fine."

Edward stood up and then surprised the heck out of me by leaning down and pressing a kiss to my cheek. His lips were so warm, but then they were gone far too soon.

"Mmmm, you smell amazing," he said huskily before standing upright. "Talk to ya soon."

And with one more smile, he was gone, striding quickly out the door and out of sight. I sat for a few more minutes, trying to calm my racing heart that had kicked into high speed when his warm breath brushed my skin as he'd spoken close to my ear.

_**So there you have it! A sad story, to be sure, but a beautiful tribute. And also, THEY LIKE EACH OTHER! There's going to be a REAL date! Do we love Seth? I love him. Oh, and little bit of an Alice/Jasper update in there, too! Let me know what you're thinking :) **_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hello there! Welcome to Chapter 5! So, I just want to address a little something. Quite a few of my reviewers have came to the conclusion that Tanya's parents were somehow responsible for her death. They were not. It really was just a sad and tragic tale of Edward losing his best friend. Like it says in the description "he's seen too many bad things happen to good people". He knows she didn't kill herself like her parents were proclaiming, but it was just an accidental drowning, fueled by alcohol. **_

_**Thank you so very much to everyone who has taken the time to read, review, and recommend Edge of the Night. I'm challenging myself as I write this because I NEVER write any sort of angst, really. So it's kind of an experiment. I love hearing from y'all, it makes me so very happy every time I get a review notification and I do try and answer them all.**_

_**See ya at the bottom!**_

"Mrs. Mavis, you spoil me," I moaned around a mouthful of heavenly, warm, apple crumble topped with vanilla bean ice cream.

"Nonsense, dear. You forget to eat half the time, running around so much. You're too thin, I tell you that all the time."

I didn't bother trying to correct my beloved - and fairly rotund - housekeeper. Yes, there certainly were times I did forget to eat when things got hectic, but I was in no way too thin. The truth of the matter was that I was five foot three and my mother came from a long line of curvy Italian women. My ass wasn't huge, but it wasn't petite either. My thighs weren't waif-like, but they were smooth and firm thanks to jogging and yoga. My belly wasn't hard with muscles, but I was active and healthy and I knew I looked damn good in a bikini. I had days of self-doubt just like anyone does, but I'd learned to embrace my curves.

"Would you like me to put on something for dinner, love? I could whip up one of those chicken and rice casseroles you like, and put it in the oven?" Mrs. Mavis asked, jarring me from my thoughts.

"Oh, you know how much I love your casseroles, but I actually have a date tonight," I revealed with a smile. I'd been smiling an awful lot since meeting Edward yesterday for coffee.

"Oh, do you now? Well, come on then, let's have it."

I laughed as she pulled up a bar stool and folded her hands, looking at me expectantly. I loved the dear woman, a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic. She was the grandmother I never had, since both of mine had passed away before I was born.

When I'd first moved into my penthouse, I'd been looking to hire a housekeeper and Alice had mentioned that her widowed neighbor was looking for just that sort of a job. From the moment I met Mrs. Mavis, I just adored her. She was in her fifties, very British, kind and caring. She was a fantastic cook, and always made sure everything was clean and tidy. I had a professional service that came in every couple of weeks to do the heavy stuff like washing the windows and scrubbing the tile, but Mrs. Mavis took care of everything else, She had a nurturing soul, and thrived on looking after people. She would have made an amazing mother, but had been unable to have children of her own. Emmett was so impressed with her - especially her cooking skills - that he hired her as well and now she split her time between my home and his. He teasingly called her Mrs. Doubtfire, and truthfully, that was a fairly accurate nickname.

"His name is Edward. He's a detective," I said as I finished the last bite of deliciousness in my bowl.

"A detective?"

"Yes. I met him in the hospital when he came to take my statement about what had happened with James. We talked a few times after that, and then he was a groomsman in a wedding here, and I ran into him. He asked me for coffee yesterday and then invited me for dinner tonight."

"And you're. . . feeling up to it?" Her blue eyes were filled with concern and I loved her for it, not feeling smothered in the least by her maternal-like worrying. I reached over and covered her hands with mine.

"Yes. I can't quite describe it, but there's just this pull I have towards him. I want to get to know him better. He gives me butterflies." I sighed and she grinned.

"Is he handsome?"

"Oh, yes. Tall and handsome with beautiful green eyes."

"He sounds lovely, my pet. I hope you have a wonderful evening."

And then she was off, flitting around my apartment and finishing a few things before kissing my cheek and telling me she'd bring a cake next time. I laughed and shook my head at her.

It was half past four, and Edward was coming to pick me up at seven. I smiled as I thought about our conversation last night. He'd called about seven-thirty, when I'd just gotten back to my place after wrapping everything up downstairs for the evening. He apologized again for having to leave me at the coffee house and I'd dismissed his apology once more. I knew what it was like when work was hectic, and I couldn't even imagine how it was with the line of work he was in. We'd talked more about his job and my hotel and before I knew it we'd been on the phone for almost an hour. After finally getting around to making plans for this evening, he asked if I liked seafood. I absolutely did, so he told me he was going to take me to his favorite seafood place and that he would come and get me at seven.

As I absently put away a pile of clean, folded laundry that Mrs. Mavis had left on my bed, I recalled the end of our phone conversation.

"_So, this seafood place. Is it fancy or more casual?" I asked, idly thinking about what I would wear._

"_No, it's not fancy, but the food is amazing. I hope you're okay with that?"_

"_With what? Amazing food? Um, yeah!"_

_He laughed._

"_No, I meant with it just being a casual place. It's our first date and I was thinking maybe I should take you somewhere nicer-"_

"_Edward," I interrupted, "Wherever you want to take me is absolutely fine. I just want to spend time with you, okay? And if you love this place so much, I'm sure it will be wonderful."_

"_It's just, it might not be-"_

"_Forget about what you think I'm used to. You said that our differences didn't affect you wanting to get to know me. Have you changed your mind?"_

"_No, of course not!"_

"_Then please stop stressing. I'm just as happy grabbing a burger as I am dining at an elegant restaurant. I love little hole in the wall places. My bank account doesn't define me, just like it shouldn't define you or anyone else. I grew up in luxury and truthfully, I hated it most of the time. I hated being looked after by the household staff while my parents were away, traveling around the world and being seen with the right people. I hated the way people treated me because of my last name. I don't want to be known as 'Isabella Swan, heiress to the Swan fortune'. I'm just Bella. Please don't treat me any differently and don't worry so much about. . I don't know . . living up to my expectations or something. The only expectation I have is to enjoy dinner with you. Okay?"_

_He was silent for a few moments and I feared I'd shocked him with my verbal diarrhea. I mean, everything I said was true, but perhaps I shouldn't have let that all out at once? Although, if this was going to go anywhere, it was better he knew my feelings up front._

"_Bella?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_I just have one more very important question."_

_Seriously?_

"_Okay?"_

"_Cocktail sauce or tarter sauce?"_

_I burst out laughing at the unexpected turn in conversation._

"_That's a very important question, indeed. Both have their merits, and both are equally appealing to me, depending on what will be dipped in them. Fried clams? I gotta have the tarter sauce, and I don't mind admitting that I like dipping my fries in it as well. Hushpuppies, too. But, when it comes to fresh peel-and-eat shrimp or raw oysters? Cocktail sauce all the way, the spicier the better."_

"_Damn," he moaned. "I knew you were perfect for me."_

_I laughed, giddy from his teasing words and sexy sounding moan._

We had ended the phone call shortly afterward, and my dreams last night were filled with the sound of his moan and the touch of his hands all over me. I'd awoken before the sun came up this morning, writhing and sweaty, and brought myself to a powerful orgasm within minutes. Even now I could remember how it felt as Edward's dreamy counterpart slid his oh so talented fingers inside me, thrusting and pressing while he sucked on my neck and whispered erotic words against my skin.

My pussy began to throb as I recalled the naughty dream, and even though I desperately wished otherwise, now was not the time to take matters into my own hands. I still had some emails to go through, as well as make some phone calls, before I could begin to get ready for our date tonight. Pleasurable pastimes would have to wait, unfortunately.

*EotN*

My intercom buzzed at ten minutes to seven, just as I was slipping into my shoes, and I walked over to the wall unit in my bedroom and pressed the button.

"Yes?"

"Bella, Detective Edward Cullen is here. For some reason he's under the impression you and he have a date this evening?"

I rolled my eyes at Jake's teasing.

"Be nice, Jacob Black," I warned. "Please send him up here."

"Uh, okay."

Jake sounded surprised, and rightfully so. It was very rare that I let any visitors come up to my apartment that I didn't have a long-standing relationship with. But, Edward was different. I wanted him to see where I lived. If the situation were reversed, I'd want to see his home and find out more about him by observing the things he surrounded himself with.

I walked over to the full length mirror in the foyer as I waited for him to arrive, studying my reflection and my Seth-approved 'casual' date outfit. I wore tailored navy capris, paired with a soft ivory t-shirt that had a laced-up V neckline. I'd done the laces up three quarters of the way, showing just a little bit of cleavage. The pants were low-waisted, fitting snugly across my hips, and I had to admit my ass looked pretty good in them. My hair was down, loosely curled with just the very front pinned back from my face. I didn't want to bother carrying a big purse tonight, so I put my necessities into a slim wristlet, and slid my phone in my back pocket. I was ready.

And not a moment too soon, because just then my doorbell rang. I took a deep breath and pressed the button to engage the digital peephole.

And there Edward stood, looking ten kinds of hot. Lord have mercy.

I quickly opened the door.

"Hello," he said with that sexy smile I was coming to positively adore. He was sin on legs in dark jeans and a gray and black baseball-style shirt. His hair had been tamed with gel, and I had the strongest urge to run my fingers through it and mess up the disciplined waves just a bit.

"Come on in," I answered, stepping back and letting him enter. When I turned back around from shutting the door he was suddenly very close to me. I could smell his cologne, that same intoxicating woodsy-citrus scent I'd first noticed when he'd found me in my office, but there was also another scent, kind of like clean laundry. We gazed at each other in silence for a few moments before he shifted and brought his other hand out from behind his back, holding a bouquet of flowers that he'd evidently been hiding. It was lovely a mix of pink roses and pale yellow daisies.

"These are for you," he murmured, offering them to me. I took them with a delighted smile.

"They're beautiful, Edward. Thank you." I lifted them to my face and inhaled the sweet fragrance. He watched me and when our eyes met again, I couldn't look away. I felt restless energy thrumming beneath my skin.

"I should put them in some water," I whispered. He nodded.

"You should."

But still we didn't move away from each other. His hand rose to my face, brushing softly against my cheek and jaw. His fingertips were slightly rough, and I resisted the urge to close my eyes and rub against their warmth.

"You look so pretty," he said softly, that intense gaze still holding mine. My heart thumped in my chest at his simple words.

"Thank you," I murmured.

It was then that Ginger and Mary Ann came out of hiding to greet our guest. Edward looked down as they twined around his legs, meowing and purring.

"Well, hello there." He bent down to pet them and Mary Ann, predictably, rolled over and presented him with her fluffy white belly to scratch. He obliged, and she loudly voiced her approval.

"Sorry," I said with an amused smile. "They're pretty shameless; they never got the memo that cats are actually supposed to be standoff-ish. Jake says they're more like dogs, and he's totally right. That's Mary Ann, she's obsessed with belly rubs. The other one is Ginger."

"Like from Gilligan's Island," Edward said with a laugh as Ginger head-butted his shin.

"Yes, I loved that show when I was a kid. I watched the reruns over and over. That and Little House on the Prairie."

"I was more of a Magnum PI fan when it came to reruns," Edward said with a wink. "Higgins was awesome, but there was also the hot woman, fast cars, and all of that."

I giggled and shook my head. "I actually have no problems imagining that at all."

Edward followed me into the kitchen area so I could put the flowers in some water.

"This is a really great space," he said, looking around. "I like how open it is."

I tried to see it through his eyes as my gaze traveled around my home.

"Thanks," I answered with a smile. "I knew what I wanted and helped to design just about everything in here."

I found a painted china vase and arranged the pretty blooms before setting them on my kitchen island.

"You moved in here when the hotel opened?"

"The hotel actually opened a couple of months before all the renovations up here were complete. At that time, I had an apartment not far from here. I really wanted to take my time and have everything done before I moved in."

"It suits you."

"Does it?"

"Definitely. The colors, the style. It's warm and inviting and I can tell you've worked to make it a comfortable home. It's beautiful, but it also feels lived-in, not like a magazine page, ya know?"

I was speechless. He must have seen the surprised expression on my face.

"What is it?" He walked around the island to stand in front of me.

"Um. Well. . . it's just . . . everything you said? That's exactly how I wanted this place to feel. The house where Emmett and I grew up was beautiful, but I hated it because everything was so perfect and cold. Untouchable. There was no character, no warmth. It was like a museum. I always told myself that when I could live wherever I wanted, it would be the exact opposite. I think a true home has to have heart."

"I think you definitely succeeded. In fact, I'd love to see the rest of it, but I think we'll be running late if you give me a tour. Next time?"

I felt heat uncurl in my belly. Next time. He wanted to come back, and I definitely wanted him to.

"Absolutely," I said, unable to hide my wide grin. "Let's go."

I waved to Jake as we passed by the front desk, and Edward led me to a pewter gray Jeep Wrangler in the visitors parking lot. He opened the passenger door and ushered me inside. I hadn't been on a first date in ages, but I was thrilled to be going out with the enigmatic Edward Cullen. Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I thought of the night that lay ahead of us.

_**I know, I KNOW! It was a shorter chapter AND we haven't gotten to the actual date yet, but I had to break it into a couple of chapters, or it just would have been WAY too long. Do we love Mrs. Mavis? Wasn't Edward adorable with the flowers? *sigh* These two, I tell ya. Also, Bella's feelings towards tarter sauce and cocktail sauce are totally mine. It's how I roll. **_

_**Stay tuned for The Date: Part 2. It's coming soon, I promise!**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Surprise! You guys are just amazing. I want to thank everyone who has rec'd my little endeavor on FB, The Lemonade Stand, A Different Forest, and anywhere else it's been mentioned. I told you the actual date would be coming up soon, and here it is! BUT, please don't expect updates this quickly all the time, because that will NOT happen LOL Hope you enjoy!**_

The drive to the restaurant didn't take too long and we talked easily as Edward maneuvered through traffic, heading towards South Tampa.

"Did Alice tell you that she and Jasper are also having dinner together tonight?" he asked as we waited at a red light.

"Oh, yes," I replied, laughing. "In fact, he's her favorite topic of conversation these days." It was the truth; my friend was crushing hard on Detective Whitlock.

"He's completely smitten with her. All I hear all day long is Alice this and Alice that. Apparently they've been talking on the phone quite a bit."

"Yeah she told me that, too. I like Jasper; he seems like a good guy."

"He really is. Jasper is very laid back and easy going for the most part. He's really tenacious, though, which is perfect for our line of work. And he's really, really, smart. Like, his IQ is close to the genius level, seriously."

"How long have you guys been friends?"

"I met him at the academy when we were both twenty-two. So, yeah, about nine years."

"And you ending up as partners, was that something you requested or were you just assigned to each other? I'm not sure how all that works," I admitted.

"It can go both ways, really. You can be assigned to anyone, but a lot of things are factored in. When Jasper and I first started out as patrol officers, we were partnered with different people. Down the line, things got changed up. His partner got promoted and mine broke his leg in a car accident. Our superiors knew we were friends and decided to see how we worked together, so we got partnered up for patrol. Turns out we make a great team, so when we both made detective, it just made sense to continue our partnership."

"And you don't get sick of each other? Day in and day out?"

Edward laughed.

"Oh sure, it happens. There are times when we both need a break from each other and we'll go our separate ways for a bit. But truthfully, he's my best friend. And I can't imagine having a better partner."

We arrived at the restaurant just then, a quaint looking little place called Cheney's. Edward parked on the street about a block down and came around to open my door. He held out his hand to help me climb down from the Jeep and my fingers tingled when they were engulfed by his. We stood there, looking at each other in silence. Then Edward smiled, laced his fingers through mine, and guided me down the sidewalk. I felt like a young girl, holding hands with her crush for the first time. My heart fluttered in my chest and I looked up to find him watching me as we walked.

"What?" I asked.

"I like holding your hand, Bella. It's small and soft and it fits in mine just perfectly."

I blushed, but smiled. I mean, what do you say to that?

Edward opened the front door of the restaurant, urging me through first. I was immediately bombarded by delicious scents of fried fish, garlic, and fresh bread. My mouth watered.

"Oh, it smells so good in here," I moaned.

Looking around the place, I was delighted with what I saw. There was definitely a nautical theme throughout, with lots of anchors and ropes, mounted fish, crab traps, and nets in the décor. Dark wood booths seemed to be the favored seating option, though I did see a few tables too, and also a line of stools at the long bar off to one side. The lighting was low, but not dark, and piano music played at a comfortable volume. The whole place was cozy and inviting.

"Edward!"

I looked up to see a pretty brunette approaching us. She was smiling widely at the man by my side and I immediately felt a flare of jealousy unfurl in my stomach. I tried to tamp it down, but it was useless.

"How are ya, Ang?" Edward asked, reaching his available arm out and wrapping her in a hug. It was easy to see they were very familiar with each other.

"Oh ,ya know, same as always," she replied with a laugh and then her hazel gaze landed on me.

"Hi!" she said with a friendly smile. "Welcome to Cheney's!"

"Angie, this is Bella, Bella, this is Angie. She and her husband Ben own this place."

"It's nice to meet you, Angie," I said. My smile was genuine, now that I found out she was married.

_Down, girl._

"You too, Bella! Your usual table, Edward?"

"You know it."

Angie grabbed a couple of menus and led us toward the back of the dining room to a booth set in the corner. It was charming, with a checkered tablecloth and a tea light lantern giving off a warm glow.

Edward gestured for me to claim the side of the booth against the wall. I slid onto the padded leather seat and happily scooted over when it was obvious he was going to sit next to me rather than across. His firm thigh was pressed to mine as Angie handed us menus.

"We've got fresh Blue Points and Kumas tonight," she said, naming two popular oysters. "Soup of the day is spicy crab chowder, and our special tonight is coconut lime shrimp. Comes with rice pilaf and roasted veggies. Your server will be here in a minute to take your drink order. Enjoy your meal, guys!"

And with that she bustled off to greet more customers.

"You have a 'usual booth'?" I asked him

"Well, I do come here a lot, but it's also a cop thing," he replied with a shrug. "I don't like sitting with my back to the door, and I like to be able to see as much of the room as possible."

"Is there a copy of "Dating A Cop for Dummies" I might be able to pick up? I feel like I should do some research."

Edward burst out laughing.

"I'll see if I can track one down for you."

"Seriously, though, this place is great," I said, reaching for the menu.

"Yeah, I've been coming here for years. We all went to high school together; me, Ben, and Angie."

I noticed Edward didn't open his menu. Of course, he came here so often he probably had it memorized. He leaned closer to me as I looked over the offerings, draping his arm across the back of the booth. I could feel his body heat and it made me squirm pleasurably, suddenly flushed.

"Any recommendations?"

"Oh, where should I start?" he said with a laugh. He pointed to different options on the menu and I tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but it was difficult when he was so close and he smelled so fucking good.

"I love the lump crab remoulade, Ben makes the sauce from scratch and it's so good. The surf and turf special is filet mignon plus a lobster tail and it's served with this amazing garlic butter. Those are my favorites. The clam strips and hushpuppies are fantastic. Oh and Mama's Pasta, definitely. Ben's mom created it and it's a signature dish here." He pointed that one out and I read the description, which did sound delicious. Shrimp and scallops in a lemon and garlic cream sauce with wilted spinach, served over fettuccine.

A waitress approached our table and I looked up from perusing the menu.

"Hi, Edward," she said breathily, one hand on her hip and her boobs pushed out.

_Seriously?_

"Hey, Vicky," Edward replied casually with barely a glance in her direction, which made me happy. I mean, she could see that he was here with a date, right? She was pretty, I guess, with strawberry blond hair and blue eyes. I could see dark roots so I knew she wasn't a natural redhead, and her makeup was very generously applied. Her boobs were too round and big and perfect to be anything but fake. My eyes narrowed as I noticed a reddish bruise on one side of her neck, down by her collarbone.

_She hadn't even attempted to cover that hickey up?_

"What can I get you?" she asked him, completely ignoring me. I felt my hackles rising at her blatant ogling, but in the next instant heat suffused my body as Edward dropped his arm from the back of the booth and curved it around my shoulders. He pulled me a little bit closer and softly rubbed my arm with his fingertips.

"I'll take a Corona. What would you like, Bella?"

I waited until Vicky finally directed her gaze to me before I answered. And because I was feeling somewhat territorial, I cuddled closer under Edward's arm as I replied. Her eyes narrowed.

"I'll have a Bloody Mary, please. Spicy, with extra lime."

She nodded and walked away without another word.

"Well, she certainly seems friendly," I said grumpily before I could help myself. Edward leaned down until his mouth was closer to my ear.

"Bella?" His voice was low.

"Hmm?" My eyes intently studied the checkered tablecloth as goosebumps broke out across my neck.

"Look at me."

I turned my head and our eyes met. As usual, I felt like he was seeing completely inside me. I licked my lips.

"I'm not remotely interested. Not all of the other times she's tried, and certainly not tonight."

I nodded.

"Sorry. It just pisses me off when people are so rude like that. I mean, she could obviously see that you're here with someone, and yet she still flirted and pushed her fake tits in your face."

I snapped my mouth shut and turned my head away from his once more, my cheeks flaming. Stupid verbal diarrhea.

Edward let out a short laugh and squeezed me closer before lowering his arm from my shoulder and wrapping it around my waist instead.

"Well, I'm not interested in Vicky or any of her surgically enhanced body parts," he said. His fingers began stroking over my outer hip very gently and _oh wow _it was getting all kinds of warm in this little booth. "What I _am _interested in is having a good time with my gorgeous date, who smells so fantastic I can barely see straight." His voice lowered even more and this time his lips actually grazed my ear as he spoke. "She drives me crazy and, even though it's a non-issue, it was really hot to see her staking her claim."

His warm breath drifted across my throat and I swallowed hard.

"I'm not usually like this," I admitted softly, unable to look at him again just yet. "I don't get jealous. Like, ever. I deal with all manner of people every single day, and I don't let anyone get under my skin like that."

"But, you did."

I nodded.

"It's different with you," I confessed, finally looking back up at him. He was so close, only inches separated our lips. "Everything is different with you, Edward."

"It's different with you, too, Bella," he said, and his smile was so beautiful it took my breath away.

We were interrupted when Vicky brought our drinks and asked if we were ready to order. I opted for Mama's Pasta while Edward chose the surf and turf. We also requested a dozen oysters to share for an appetizer. She flounced away and Edward rolled his eyes.

"She's not even supposed to be working tonight," he grumbled. "Which is why I like coming on Mondays."

"Who, Hickey Vicky?" I asked innocently and he nearly choked on the Corona he'd been in the process of drinking.

"Yes, her," Edward verified, laughing and coughing at the same time. "And yes, it was kind of hard to miss."

"I'm sorry," I said with a giggle, reaching for my Bloody Mary and taking a sip.

A voice rang out and Edward looked up.

"Cullen, my man! Ang said you were here! I took the liberty of shucking these when she told me, because I knew you'd want them."

It was Ben himself, delivering our tray of oysters, and Edward introduced me to him. Ben was short, sort of hyper, and really funny. I liked him immediately and it was so easy to see the friendship the two of them shared.

"Enjoy guys!"

"Do you remember the first time you ever ate an oyster?" Edward asked as he squirted fresh lemon all over the shellfish.

"Oh, yes," I replied with a laugh. "I was eleven and my parents had thrown this huge holiday party. I was supposed to be in bed, but I'd snuck downstairs because I always loved seeing all the glamorous women who attended. I was fascinated by their beautiful dresses and sparkly jewelry. There were platters of fancy foods and desserts everywhere and I was intrigued as I watched everyone slurping these weird looking shells. I got my nerve up and stole one off a tray. I remember thinking it looked so gross, but everyone was eating them so they must have been good. I had just gotten brave enough to taste it when Emmett came around the corner, obviously looking for me, so I quickly shoved it in my mouth."

"And?" Edward asked, smiling.

"I immediately spit it out and it landed on Emmett's bare foot. He screeched so loud that my father came to see what the fuss was, and we were both sent straight back up to our bedrooms. Gosh, I can still see the look of disgust on my brother's face, the slimy oyster dripping off his toe. To this day he still won't eat them." I giggled at the memory.

Edward laughed heartily, before scooping some horseradish onto one of the oysters on the tray. He offered it to me, holding it to my lips. My eyes held his as I opened my mouth and he tipped it inside. I swallowed it, enjoying the combination of fresh salty brine, spicy horseradish and tangy lemon. It was divine.

"But you obviously tried them again," Edward said. I nodded and then watched as he prepared an oyster for himself.

"Not until a few years ago, actually," I said. "Jake convinced me, this time with the lemon and horseradish and some cocktail sauce. It was a whole different experience, and I really like them now."

Edward tipped the oyster into his mouth. He moaned appreciatively, and I watched his throat muscles working as he swallowed. He licked his lips.

_Oh, those lips_.

I reached for my drink and took a healthy gulp.

"The first time I had one was at this little hole in the wall place down in Sarasota," he said, discarding the now empty shell. "It was summer vacation and I was sixteen. Me and a couple of my buddies were there, Ben included, and one of them dared me to try them. They were actually shocked that I liked them. But it's hard to explain the appeal, isn't it? To someone who's never tried them."

"It is," I agreed, helping myself to more of the delicious oysters. "I suppose they are what you would call an acquired taste."

We ate quietly for a few minutes before Edward broke the comfortable silence.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"When you first began this endeavor of opening your own hotel, how old were you?"

"I'd just turned twenty-three when I signed all the paperwork, but I'd been working on the deal for about six months before that."

"You were so young, Bella. I mean, I know your family is very well known, but did you run into any problems with people not taking you seriously, or blowing you off because of your age or because you were a woman?"

I burst out laughing.

"Oh, God yes! I definitely dealt with more than my fair share of that. However, my Uncle Marcus helped me immensely. Luxe was originally a hotel back in the day, but when I purchased the building, it had been empty for a while. There were some other big developers looking to buy it and tear it down to build a new high rise. I didn't want to do that because I loved the original facade, it has such character, ya know? I could see the potential, I could see my vision, and I desperately wanted it to come to fruition. It was definitely a huge learning experience, but like I said, I had help. Uncle Marcus guided me, plus Emmett and Alice were there every step of the way, too. She and I met at Cornell's School of Hotel Administration and it was just after graduating that I began the process of trying to buy it and turn it into my dream."

"Such ambition," Edward said. "And you made it happen."

"Yes, but it wasn't all smooth sailing, I'll tell you that. There were plenty of times I was in the fetal position on the floor, overwhelmed by everything," I admitted with a laugh. "I questioned myself a lot, and one time even tried to call the whole thing off. There was so much red tape, delays with contractors, supplier issues, you name it. However, when I cut that red ribbon on opening day, I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. I'd done what I set out to do and all the sleepless nights, the stress, the hoops I had to jump through, it was all worth it in the end. Luxe is my baby and she's surpassed all my expectations."

"I'm glad you didn't give up," Edward said. "It can be pretty scary to follow your dreams, but when it's something you really want, all the hard work is worth it."

"It sounds like you're speaking from experience."

"I suppose I am. My line of work definitely isn't easy, but it's very rewarding and I really can't picture myself doing anything else."

I opened my mouth to answer him but then felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket, making me jump. Edward laughed at my expression and I was also smiling as I pulled my phone out. It was a text from Alice.

_OMG! I only have a second because he went to go get the car, but Jasper is so amazing! Seriously, Bells, this man makes me swoon. SWOON!_

I laughed as I showed the text to Edward.

"Apparently they're hitting it off," I said, shaking my head at my best friend's exuberance. I quickly typed a reply.

_I'm thrilled with your swoonage, but leave me alone and get back to your own date so I can get back to mine LOL_

Her reply came immediately.

_Sorry! Dish tomorrow! Xo_

I slid my phone back into my pocket.

"Sorry about that."

"Hey, no worries. This is nothing compared to the times my phone has interrupted us," Edward said with a smile. "I know Jasper was excited about tonight, so I'm glad to hear that she's having a good time."

We talked more about our friends, our families, a wide variety of other things. I found out that Edward's dad was a surgeon at Tampa General and his mom ran an interior decorating business from their home on Davis Island. In turn, I opened up more about my childhood, my parents, and how I'd always wanted to have a hotel of my own ever since I was a little girl. He was so very easy to talk to.

Our food arrived and Edward had been absolutely right, everything at Cheney's was fantastic. Sitting in the cozy booth with his body so close to me was divine; the most perfect date ever, in my opinion. And Hickey Vicky had apparently taken the hint, because she barely bothered us the rest of the time we were there.

*EotN

"Oh man, I'm so full," I groaned, pushing my plate back. I'd managed to eat about two thirds of the delicious pasta, but the portion had been pretty large, plus Angie had delivered warm sourdough bread and butter, and I had two big hunks of that as well.

Edward, on the other hand, had no issues polishing off his filet and lobster tail, plus a baked potato, the bread, and several bites of my food.

"No dessert?" he teased. "Ben makes a mean key lime pie. And it's yellow, not green, so you know it's authentic."

"I hate those fake green pies!" I exclaimed with a laugh. "As delicious as that sounds, I don't think so. But you were right, everything was so good. Does Ben do most of the cooking?"

"He has help back there, but yes. He's always loved to cook."

Angie approached our table.

"Hey, guys! How was everything?"

"Awesome as always, Ang," Edward replied and I nodded in agreement.

"It was all so good!"

"Glad you enjoyed it, Bella!" She set our check down on the table. "Make sure Edward brings you back, I've got all kinds of dirt to dish on this one." She nodded to Edward with a wink and he busted out laughing as she backed away, smiling.

"Dirt, huh?" I asked as he opened his wallet and fished some bills out.

"Eh, nothing major," he answered with a smile, standing up. "But, Angie and Ben have been together since tenth grade, so yeah, she's witnessed a lot of shit."

"I'm intrigued," I teased, sliding out of the booth after him. I glanced at my watch and was shocked to see that over two hours had passed.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know, Bella," Edward said, his gaze now serious as we stood beside the booth. "Just ask."

"I will," I said softly. He smiled.

Edward called out our goodbyes to Angie and Ben as we exited the restaurant, my hand once more securely in his. He turned to me when we were both inside the Jeep, sliding his fingers between mine.

"I didn't really have a plan for after dinner," he confessed. "All I know is. . . I'm not quite ready to let you go yet."

My heart melted at his sweet words. I lifted our joined hands and rubbed his knuckles against my cheek.

"I'll tell you what, my housekeeper makes the most amazing apple crumble and there's a pan of it at my place. I might be ready for dessert in a little while. Would you like to share some with me?"

He stared at me silently for a few moments before a sexy smile curved his lips.

"I'd like that very much, Bella."

_**Hmmmm. I'd like to share something sweet with him as well, just saying. So what do we think? The date went well, yes? Do we dislike Hickey Vicky? Shameless hussy. I don't know if anyone else has really noticed, but I do tend to write about food in my fics and it usually leaves me quite hungry. Gonna have to make me some Mama's Pasta! Let me know your thoughts, my loves! **_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hello, and welcome to The Date: Part 2. Bella has invited Edward back to her place for dessert. **_

_**Thanks to everyone who continues to read and review, I'm honestly blown away by how many of you keep coming back for every new chapter. So, let's see how the evening progresses, yes? **_

Normally I really liked Jeep Wranglers, but at the moment I was cursing the fact that Edward drove one because he had to keep switching gears in the traffic, and that meant I couldn't hold his hand. He caught my pout and laughed when I admitted the reason for it.

"My car's an automatic, just saying," I offered, really hoping there would be another date, another chance to be with him like this.

"Good to know," he replied with that sexy grin that made my stomach flip-flop. Being so physically close to him all night had my senses in overdrive.

We pulled up to Luxe and I directed him to a spot that was normally reserved for Emmett when he came. After parking, Edward walked around and opened my door, taking my hand to help me down once more.

"Better?" he asked, lacing his fingers through mine.

"Much," I agreed. It really was.

My doorman, Billy, greeted us as we entered the building.

"Good evening, Ms. Swan, Detective."

"Evening, Billy," I replied and Edward tipped his head in a nod.

In the lobby, I could see Jake behind the reception desk, but I knew he would be leaving soon and that Alec would be covering the next shift. Jake, of course, noticed our joined hands and raised an eyebrow at me, but didn't say anything as we passed by on our way to the elevators. I rolled my eyes at him behind Edward's back, knowing there would be an inquisition soon.

We entered the elevator and Edward watched as I pressed my finger to the print scanner and then entered a six digit code on the touch pad. The code was new, a security measure that both Jake and Emmett insisted upon.

"Man, I wish we knew how Chaser overrode your system. I really hate loose ends," Edward grumbled as the elevator rose. "Cyber Squad is still working on it, though."

"Maybe we'll never know," I said with a shrug. "I mean, James is dead and he's not coming back. The entire security system has been updated and overhauled, and I feel safe in my building. Honestly, I'm just trying to put it all behind me."

He squeezed my hand once more with a warm smile, and then the elevator dinged as we arrived at my floor.

I unlocked the door and disengaged the alarm system, then tossed my keys and wallet onto the foyer table while Edward closed and re-locked the door behind us. Ginger and Mary Ann came running when they heard us and demanded attention, which we of course gave them. Silly girls.

"So, dessert?" I asked, laughing at the way Mary Ann kept weaving herself through Edward's long legs.

"Not quite yet. I'd actually really like the grand tour now, if that's okay?" he replied, taking my hand once more.

"Absolutely."

I led Edward through my home in a leisurely circuit, pointing out all of the features that I especially liked. When we arrived in my bedroom, he let out a low whistle.

"Whoa, that's one heck of a bed, Bella."

I smiled, feeling my cheeks get warm.

"Yeah, yeah. I might have gone just a bit overboard with that," I admitted. "But, it's seriously worth every penny I paid, like sleeping on a cloud."

"I can feel you in this room," he said, after looking around at everything. "It even smells like you in here."

"Really?" I laughed. "And what do I smell like?"

"Soft," he replied, taking a step closer, his green eyes holding my gaze. He dipped his head and ran his nose up the side of my jaw, taking in a breath. "Fresh." The side of my throat was bathed in heat as he exhaled, making me shiver the tiniest bit. "And something sweet."

"Peaches," I whispered unsteadily. "I like peaches."

"It's delicious," he murmured. "But, there's something else. Something that's just. . . Bella."

He stepped back and I blinked at him a bit dazedly.

"Show me the rest?" He tugged my hand gently.

I nodded and led him from my bedroom.

Even though I was used to it, I had to admit it was a heck of a view as we stepped out onto the terrace. It was a clear autumn night and the full moon and stars were shining bright above the lights of downtown.

"Wow!" Edward exclaimed as we reached the perimeter wall and he leaned over. "See, now this is definitely where I would be spending most of my time. This is amazing!"

"I do spend a lot of time out here," I admitted. "I like to read, or do yoga, or just get away by myself to think, ya know? It's my escape from the real world when things get hectic. Wanna know what I like the best, though?"

"What's that?"

I led him to the decorative screen and around the edge of it so he could see my little private oasis. He grinned appreciatively.

"Maybe next time I'll bring my suit, huh?"

A wet, slippery, half naked Edward?

_Oh yes please!_

"Any time," I told him.

"So, I think I might be ready for that dessert now. How about you?"

"Sure thing. Do you want to have it out here? It's a nice night."

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"Do you still want to share?" I asked as we made our way back inside to the kitchen. I grabbed a bowl from the cabinet beside the sink. "Or do you want your own?"

"I want to share with you, Bella."

And cue the freaking butterflies. What was it about the way this man simply said my name that affected me so?

I chatted a little bit about Mrs. Mavis as I took the cover off the baking dish and scooped a portion into the bowl.

"Um, warmed with ice cream?" I asked.

"Is there any other way, really?" he replied, which made me giggle and agree.

Thirty seconds in the microwave, a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and we were soon seated close together on the outdoor love-seat with two spoons.

"Wow, that's really delicious," Edward said after his first bite.

"Right? And this is my second helping today! I already had some when she first brought it over this afternoon." I ate a spoonful and moaned at the sweet combination of apple, cinnamon, and ice cream. "She's an amazing cook, and I think I've gained ten pounds since she started working for me. My thighs definitely have a love-hate relationship with her desserts."

Edward's gaze raked over me, lingering on my aforementioned thighs for a few moments. My heart thudded heavily in my chest; I could almost _feel _the weight of his heated perusal.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about," he finally said with a slow smile, before taking another bite of the sweet dessert.

We finished the apple crumble and Edward set the bowl and spoons aside and then leaned back in the love seat. His arm curved around my shoulders and I snuggled into his side. It was so nice to just sit with him like this, to breathe in his warm scent and feel his solid body next to me. Neither of us spoke for a long while_, _and I liked that we didn't feel the need to fill the quiet with words. It wasn't awkward; we were just content to _be. _His fingertips traced lazy circles on my arm and I was practically on the verge of purring.

"Edward?" I finally broke the silence, yet didn't lift my head from where it rested against his shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"If I. . . if we hadn't ran into each other in my office the other night. . . Would you have eventually called me?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in his answer. "Like I said, I did fight it for a while. I didn't think that after everything you had been through I had any right to feel what I was feeling. But, I just couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop thinking about you. Seeing you in your office was the perfect opportunity to tell you how I felt. Of course, we know how that turned out."

I laughed, remembering his confessions in the coffee shop.

"But, yes, Bella. I absolutely planned on getting in touch with you. I really wanted to see if you were feeling what I was. I wanted to see if this had a chance of going anywhere."

"I thought about calling you," I admitted softly. "I kept second-guessing myself, though. I didn't even know if you were married or had a girlfriend. And then I wasn't sure that if I did ask you out, you would only say yes out of sympathy or some sense of obligation because of the way that we met."

Edward shifted, turning to face me more squarely, and I raised my head to meet his gaze. His green eyes were as intense as always, but tempered with something so tender that my breath caught in my throat. His hand came up and cradled my cheek, his thumb stroking my skin gently.

"I hate that we had to meet the way we did," he said softly. "I hate what you went through. You've shown me how remarkably strong you are, but I still hate it. However, my reaction to you would have been exactly the same if we had met anywhere else. If I'd seen you in the park, or on the beach, or even at Garrett's wedding, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from talking to you. I would have done everything in my power to convince the prettiest girl I'd ever seen to give me a chance."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Edward gently pressed his thumb there, stopping my words.

"But, we didn't meet at a park or a beach. Instead, I was called to the hospital to interview a victim. An innocent woman who had lived through a nightmare. Stepping into that room. . . seeing you there in the hospital bed, listening to all of the details and watching you re-live it all? My heart broke for you. I was so angry at Chaser, and I was thrilled that he was dead, that you wouldn't have to worry about him ever again. After leaving that night, I found myself thinking about you constantly and wondering how you were doing. I felt this. . . I don't know how to describe it, like a _pull _towards you. And it's only gotten stronger. Each time we meet, I feel it growing."

I puckered my lips and pressed them against his thumb.

"I feel it, too," I whispered.

"I'm gonna kiss you, Bella."

I met him halfway,

Edward's mouth covered mine and I swear my whole body tingled in relief of finally –_finally! -_getting to feel what I'd only dreamed of up until now. My hands dove into his hair to tug him even closer and I opened my lips with a whimper. His tongue pressed into my mouth, sliding against mine, and he tasted like cinnamon, and I couldn't get enough. Edward's kisses were deep and slow, pulling me under until my senses were swimming in a whirlwind haze where only he existed. His tongue wrapped around mine with gentle pressure, urging me into his mouth, and I eagerly followed, the pulsing ache between my thighs growing stronger with each taste of him. He sucked on my bottom lip, bit it gently, and I shuddered in response.

Reality was so much better than anything my mind had conjured up.

His soft lips traveled from my mouth to my ear. "I've imagined kissing you at least a thousand times," he murmured, his breath warm and teasing. Goosebumps erupted across my body

"Oh, God, me too," I admitted.

"Tell me," he coaxed, kissing me deeply once more. His tongue filled my mouth and I sighed, pressing as close to him as I could. His hands slid around to my back and up over my spine until he wrapped his long fingers over the tops of my shoulders. My nipples hardened almost painfully against the firm wall of his chest and I couldn't stop the moan that escaped. Edward's lips traveled across my skin; they ghosted over my cheeks, my forehead, my chin. His jaw was slightly abrasive with the beginning of beard stubble and the friction was delicious.

His voice was rough, his breath unsteady as he again urged me to share my secrets."Tell me, Bella."

"I d-dream of you," I confessed shakily. I knew it was probably crazy to tell him that, but he'd been so open and honest with me that I felt I could be brave and admit the truth. "Lately, it's been almost every night."

Edward stilled for a moment, then pulled back to meet my eyes. His hand once more came up and cupped my cheek, and my own hand covered it, anchoring his warm skin to me.

"What do you dream?" he asked huskily, leaning in to brush his lips oh so softly against mine.

"So many things," I told him, tilting my head and rubbing my cheek against his calloused palm. I turned and pressed my mouth to his fingertips. Edward curved his other hand around my neck, sliding his fingers into my hair, tugging gently while his eyes gazed steadily into my own.

"I dream of kissing you," I whispered. "Touching you. I dream of us making love."

My mouth was crushed against his in a heartbeat, and his strong arms encircled me. Before I knew what was happening, he had shifted and turned us so that I straddled his lap. I moaned when I felt the hard, heated, length of his erection pressing into me as I settled onto his thighs. Edward's hands were in my hair, holding me still for his complete possession of my mouth, and I loved every fucking second of it. My fingers dug into his shoulders and I hung on for dear life as he kissed me deeply, the sinuous rhythm of his tongue utterly seductive. I couldn't stop my hips from rolling against him, and the breath caught in my throat as his hardened cock nestled right up to my throbbing sex.

"I've thought about all of that, too," he murmured huskily when our lips finally parted. One of his hands remained tangled in my hair and the other dropped to wrap around my waist, pulling me even closer to him. "I _want _all of that, too."

"Tell me," I whispered, echoing his earlier plea.

"I want to find all of your softest places and claim them with my tongue." He pressed a tender kiss to my neck. "I want to discover exactly how sweet you taste everywhere, and I want your mouth all over me." Now his lips were on my collarbone, his tongue traveling across my skin. "I want to hear you say my name when I'm inside you." His mouth claimed mine once more in a brief, scorching kiss as his hand dropped to the curve of my hip. He pressed me down against him, his arousal unmistakable, and we both moaned. "I want to fuck you until you scream." The fingers in my hair gently tugged, pulling my head to the side so his mouth could travel to my ear. He bit my earlobe softly and I trembled.

"I want to make you as crazy as you make me, Bella."

I groped blindly between us, lifting his hand from my waist and holding it against my left breast, urging him to discover for himself how wildly my heart was hammering. His eyes rose to mine, the green almost glowing like emerald embers in a fire. My nipple was achy and hypersensitive beneath his palm.

"Feel what you do to me," I whispered.

His hand pressed more firmly, cradling my breast, his thumb brushing over the peak. I whimpered and his lips found mine again.

"I do," he murmured into my mouth. "I feel you, angel."

My heart trembled at his tender words.

"I want all of it, too, Edward."

"Bella. . ."

His voice trailed off and he dropped his forehead to my shoulder. His chest moved against me with deep breaths, warm and fluttering on my neck with each exhale. He untangled his hand from my hair and slid it around my hip, while the other stayed where it was, cupping my breast. I anchored both of my hands into his hair and cradled him to me, pressing my lips to the top of his head and breathing in the scent of him.

Despite the fact that only moments ago we were making out like horny teenagers, this moment was so achingly intimate. I could feel my connection to him in a way that had never been so present with anyone else. Edward was so warm and solid and strong in my embrace, and I was scared to say a word and break the bubble of newfound awareness that now surrounded us.

I felt his lips against my collarbone, soft and tender. They pressed a series of sweet kisses across my skin and I shivered. He finally pulled back and lifted his head to gaze at me. I looked back at him with a small smile, my fingers still stroking through his hair.

"Bella, I want to tell you something," he said, his hands now moving around my ribs and up my back then down again before settling on my waist. I regretfully withdrew my fingers from his hair, restlessly rubbing them on my thighs. Even though the tone of his voice didn't really alarm me, it was pretty hard to concentrate on a conversation when all I wanted to do was touch him.

Edward, however, was having none of that. He grasped my hands, kissed the knuckles of each of them before he slid them up his chest and back around his neck, keeping me as close to him as possible. His arms encircled me once more and I laced my fingers together behind his shoulders as I waited for him to speak.

"Tonight has been. . . well, pretty fucking perfect," he told me with a grin that caused my heart to thump inside my chest.

"I think so, too," I murmured.

"Hearing you say that makes me very happy. I've honestly never felt a connection like this, so instant and . . . well, powerful. The physical chemistry is, of course, incredible, but I'm also talking about getting to know you as a person, the _real _you, hearing about all of the experiences that have shaped your life. And I love letting you see the parts of me that I really don't show anyone else. It's new for me, but I'm astonished at how easy it is to open up to you." Edward leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine softly, once, then again, before pulling back. "Having said all of that, it makes what I'm about to say next really. . .difficult."

I simply raised my eyebrow at him, waiting for more of an explanation. He blew out a big breath.

"I don't think we should sleep together tonight."

"You don't?"

I felt undeniable disappoint bloom in my chest. He must have seen the emotion cross my face because his hands came up and cradled my cheeks, giving me no choice but to look him right in the eyes.

"Make no mistake, angel, there is nothing I want more right now than to take you to that enormous bed and spend _hours _making your body come alive. I want you so fucking badly I can barely see straight."

"Do you think it's too soon? You aren't rushing me, Edward. I want you just as much," I told him honestly. I knew making love with him would never be a mistake, or anything I ever regretted.

"I love hearing you say that," he said, kissing me softly. "But, I'm a selfish creature, Bella. I want to take my time, I want to get lost in you for as long as it takes to learn every single secret your body will give to me. The thought of making love to you and then having to leave because I need to be up by sunrise to start my shift tomorrow? I can't do it."

"So, what do we do?" I asked softly. The images his words provoked danced through my head and I leaned forward, needing to be closer. He tucked me under his chin, his arms wrapped securely around me.

"My work schedule can be challenging, as you can probably guess" he began. "On paper, I work nine hour shifts, nine out of ten weekdays, with most weekends off. But, things come up. Like yesterday being Sunday, I technically had the day off, but still got called away from the coffee, because there was a break in one of the cases I'm working. Same thing with Saturday, after the wedding. It happens. I work overtime, far more than I'd like to. This week my shift is six am to three pm, but today I didn't actually end up leaving the station until about four-thirty. When I'm on call, there are times I will have to go at a moments notice. I just. . . I wish. . ."

I lifted my head to look at him when he stopped speaking.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"I just want you to know that I'm willing, angel. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this work. But, I need you to understand up front that it won't be easy, or normal-"

"Edward," I interrupted. "You're forgetting who I am. I've never had "normal" and I don't want it. My hours can be erratic as well. I know there will be times that we don't see each other as much as we'd like, but nothing you are telling me comes as any great surprise. I'm willing, too. So, we take this one day at a time, okay?"

He nodded and pulled me in once again. I snuggled into his chest and just reveled in the feeling of being so close.

"You're an amazing woman, Bella Swan," he murmured against the top of my head.

"I happen to think you're pretty amazing yourself, Detective Cullen."

We were quiet for a little while. I was thinking over everything he had told me and I knew in my heart that things most likely wouldn't be easy, but they _would _be worth it if it meant I could call Edward mine. And I desperately wanted to. He'd came into my life so unexpectedly, a brightness amongst the dark when I was going through something that no one should ever have to. In such a short time, he had come to mean so much to me and there was no way I couldn't try. I simply ached for him.

"So when do you think we will be able to see each other again?" I finally broke the silence, tracing my fingertip in a random pattern over his collarbone.

"I'm in court for most of tomorrow and Wednesday. Two different cases. Are you free Wednesday night?"

I sat back up and shook my head.

"I'm flying to New York on Wednesday morning to meet with one of my suppliers. Just overnight, though. What about Thursday night?"

He sighed.

"Jasper and I have to go to Miami on Thursday; there's a possible connection there to a case we're working. I have no idea what time we'll be back at."

"Well, damn," I said with a small laugh. "I have appointments on Friday and there's a charity event at the hotel Friday night. We've done it every year since Luxe opened, it's a silent auction gala and the proceeds go towards the abused women shelters in the area. You could come if you want, and be my date Friday night?"

Edward shook his head. "Family dinner with my parents; my aunt and uncle are in town from England. How about this weekend, angel? I have Saturday and Sunday off, and I won't be on call. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I would love nothing more than to spend the majority of the weekend with you. Unless you have plans?"

"Nothing I can't move around," I assured him, mentally going over my schedule. "I should be done with everything by lunch time on Saturday. Then I'm all yours."

"I want that more than anything, Bella. I want you to be all mine."

"I want it, too. When I think about making these dreams I've been having a reality? One weekend may not be enough time for all of them. . ." I trailed off, biting my lip as dozens of images ran through my mind.

"Bella." His mouth covered mine again, hard and hot. "Fuck, the things you say to me, the things you make me want. . ." I lost myself in him; his taste, his warm breath, the strokes of his velvety tongue as he claimed me over and over.

It was past midnight by the time I finally kissed Edward goodbye at my door. My lips were swollen, my body was throbbing, and my legs were weak. I felt glorious. I never wanted him to leave, but I knew he had to be up really early, so I tamped down my selfishness and promised that we would talk very soon.

I even indulged him when he asked, with a bit of sheepishness, if he could take a picture of us with his phone. He said he needed something tangible to look at to get him through the week. I laughed at him, yet was secretly pleased, and so I snuggled against him there in my foyer with his cheek pressed to mine and grinned into the camera. His hair was a mess from my fingers and my lips were obviously reddened from our kisses, but it was perfect. He texted the picture to me and then he really did have to leave. One more kiss, one more promise to talk soon, and he was gone.

_**Ok, I know, I KNOW! No full-on sexy times yet. BUT I just couldn't tack it onto the end of the date. Like Edward said, we NEED time for all the things that both of them have been thinking about. But I do hope you enjoyed the rest. How cute was he asking for the picture? Also, they have a plan! So, just stick with me, yes? Let me know what your thoughts are on this one. Should they have just done it, anyway? I really was torn, I even had a big chunk of it written out! But, ultimately, it wasn't the right time yet. Patience, darlings! **_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Hello again, dear readers! So, I just want to say thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing and also rec'ing my little fic. I've never written a 'slow burn' before, so this is a challenge for me, believe me. But thank you for not breaking out the pitchforks when I ended it where I did last chapter LOL. I hope you will all think the wait was worth it when the time comes. Let's catch up with them now, shall we? **_

I never believed in the old adage of 'time flies when you're having fun, but slows to a crawl when you want it to go fast'.

Until now.

By Wednesday night when I spoke to Edward from my hotel room in New York, it felt like a week had gone past instead of just forty-eight hours. Missing someone this much was quite new to me; none of my previous relationships had came with such a level of intensity. For the first time ever, I was one of _those _girls. You know the kind; they daydream all the time and have silly smiles on their faces for no reason. Alice actually called me out on it Tuesday afternoon when she'd had to say my name three times before I even realized she was trying to get my attention.

I wondered if this is what my parents felt when they met, this instant connection which led to them being so completely wrapped up in each other. It was a somewhat scary thought. Charlie and Renee were totally dependent on each other, they were hardly ever apart. I didn't want a relationship like that. However, the more I thought about it, I knew that wasn't likely. With the way both of our work schedules were, Edward I wouldn't be able to spend that much time together even if we wanted to. And we were very different people from my parents.

Still, I couldn't deny that I was longing for the weekend to hurry up and get here.

Work helped to distract me somewhat. The meeting with my linen supplier had gone well and I was very pleased with the new bedding we would start featuring soon at Luxe. I prided myself in the quality of everything we used at the hotel, from the shower curtains to the door-stoppers, and I always wanted to see the products firsthand before deciding on anything. I could have easily had samples shipped to me, but I really enjoyed visiting the warehouses and factories of my suppliers when my schedule allowed.

After the meeting, I opted to grab dinner at my favorite sushi bar in Manhattan. I went there every time I was in New York because they had the most delicious red snapper sashimi I'd ever tasted, plus the Spicy Tuna roll was amazing.

Tomorrow, the weather was supposed to be crisp and cool, a perfect autumn day in the Big Apple. Alice usually accompanied me on trips like this, but she had a function to attend, so I was solo this time. I really didn't mind. I did have acquaintances in New York, and with very little effort I could be catching up with any number of them, but I honestly just wanted to relax and do as I pleased, now that the business portion was complete. I was planning on visiting Central Park Zoo in the morning and having lunch at Tavern on the Green before catching my flight back to Tampa later in the afternoon.

When I returned to my hotel after dinner and a little bit of retail therapy, it was half past eight, and I kicked off my shoes with a contented sigh. It had been a successful trip, I'd had a delicious dinner, and was now looking forward to a nice soak in that huge bathtub that my suite offered. My plans for tomorrow made me happy, and then it would be one more day closer to seeing Edward.

Edward.

My mind strayed to him as I began filling the tub. There had been lots of texting, and we spoke on the phone last night for over an hour. I'd sat out on the terrace for the duration of the call; being in the same place where we'd kissed and touched and confessed our feelings made me feel closer, somehow.

Feeling so connected to him after only a few days was surreal and a bit mind-boggling, and I'd even brought it up in our conversation last night.

"_But do you ever ask yourself why? Why does it feel so easy? Why is it so completely different than it's ever been with anyone else?"_

"_I don't have any concrete answers for you, Bella. This attraction. . . Well, that's the wrong word actually, because it's so much more than just an attraction. What I can tell you for sure is that I've definitely never felt this way with anyone else I've ever dated. It's just you, angel."_

I smiled as I recalled his sweet words, rifling through my shopping bags until I found the peaches and cream bath bomb I'd bought earlier with the hotel tub in mind. As the bathtub filled, I washed off my makeup and brushed my teeth before quickly stripping out of my clothes and pinning up my hair. I tossed in the bath bomb and then slid beneath the hot water with a sigh of pleasure.

After a few minutes of soaking in creamy, peach-scented heaven, my phone chirped at me from the small stool beside the tub. I reached for it and grinned when I saw a text from Edward.

_I'm jealous that you get to visit the zoo tomorrow._

_**I wish you were visiting it with me. Have you been to Lowry Park? We could go sometime.**_

_Not since I was a kid, but I'd love to go with you. How was your sushi?_

_**Delicious as always. Did you have dinner?**_

_Just finished up. Grabbed Thai on the way home. Panang curry._

_**I'm a pad Thai girl, myself. Especially with extra peanuts and minus the bean sprouts. You must have had a late day if you're only just finishing dinner now?**_

_Court took until almost five. Definitely part of the job I could do without. Then had to take care of a few things at the station. Can I call you or are you busy?_

My fingers hovered over the keyboard on my phone. Did I want him calling me while I was naked? This could be dangerous. Still, I didn't want to have to wait to talk to him.

_**Call me**_

My phone immediately rang, the photo of the two of us popping up on the screen.

"Hey, there," I said happily.

"Is it Saturday yet?"

His tone was on the verge of whining and I laughed.

"I wish it were, baby. I really can't wait."

"Baby, huh? Hmmm, I think I like that."

"Glad you approve. So, court all day?"

"Unfortunately. Like I said, not my favorite part of the job."

"Necessary evil," I replied. "I get it. It's the same way I feel about meetings with my accountant. I understand the need for them, but honestly they bore me to death."

"Exactly," Edward replied with a laugh. "Thankfully, I don't have any more court days coming up for a while."

We chatted a little bit about my day in New York and his upcoming trip to Miami with Jasper. He couldn't tell me anything about the case, of course, but he was happy they'd be making a lunch stop at his favorite Cuban cafe down there, a place he swore made the best Picadillo he'd ever had.

"Hey, do you know what today is?" I asked him during a small lull in conversation.

"I do. I wasn't going to bring it up, but yes." His voice was soft, and once again I wished he were here with me instead of so far away. It was one month ago today that James attacked me. I'd woken up this morning knowing it and had thought about it off and on all day.

"You know, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it. I mean, it's not an anniversary that I really _want _to remember," I told Edward. "So, I decided that instead of dwelling on today's date, I'm going to celebrate tomorrow's instead. Because, that's the day I met you."

"I can't believe it's only been a month," he replied. "Somehow it feels like I've known you much longer."

"I feel the same," I whispered, missing him so fiercely in that moment. I cleared my throat, not wanting to get all emotional right now. "So, I was curious about this weekend, if there are definite plans in place or if we're just gonna go with the flow. Do you have ideas?" I asked.

"Oh, I've got some ideas," he told me, and the suddenly husky timbre of his voice made my pulse jump.

"Yeah?" I asked, slowly, sinking deeper into the hot water. It lapped at my nipples and I reached down to rub one gently.

"When it comes to plans with you? Most definitely."

"I'd like to see where you live," I confessed. And I really did. I wanted to see what he surrounded himself with, where he slept, where he relaxed.

"I would love that. Do you want to meet at my place on Saturday? I'll text you the address."

"Sure."

"I'm going to make a suggestion."

"Which is?"

"I suggest you pack for a sleepover."

The meaning of his words was unmistakable, and I pinched my nipple firmly as images came to my mind. Skin. . . mouths. . . .groans. . . .whispers. Slick sounds and searching tongues. Hands everywhere. Edward's bed.

God, I wanted it.

"That sounds like a great suggestion," I told him, shivering in the water as I tugged harder. My back arched involuntarily, causing a small splashing noise.

"Bella?" His voice was low.

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention I was in the bathtub?" I asked, moving to my other breast, rubbing my palm over the hardened peak.

"I believe you did neglect to tell me that, yes. Jesus, woman, you're killing me here," he groaned. "Now I gotta think about you all naked and wet and you're so fucking far away."

"Sorry," I said with a giggle. "But, I love talking to you, and I didn't want to wait until I was finished."

"I love talking to you, too. And, I really can't wait to see you again."

"Hold on a sec, okay?"

"Sure."

I put his phone call on mute and then opened up the camera, switching it to forward facing. I sank down in the tub deep enough that only tops of my breasts and naked shoulders showed above the milky water. My hair was in a messy pile on top of my head, and my face was scrubbed of makeup, but the warmth of the water and our conversation had caused my cheeks to flush pink, and my smile was happy. I wanted him to see me like this. Tilting my head a little, I snapped the picture. Not bad. I texted it to him with the caption **So you can have a picture to go with your imaginings **before switching back to his call.

"Edward?"

"I'm here. Hey, hold on, someone just texted me. . ."

His voice moved further away from the phone, but I clearly heard his words.

"Oh, fucking hell, Bella."

"I see you got my text," I whispered.

"You're the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, angel. And believe me, there will be lots of _imagining _between now and Saturday. I cannot wait to get my hands on you."

"Mmm, I can't wait to get your hands on me either," I said truthfully with a sigh, trailing one of my hands below the water this time and sliding it between my thighs, circling a finger around my clit and rubbing it gently. I wished it was Edward touching me instead.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Edward?"

"Would you tell me the truth if I asked if you were touching yourself right now?"

"Well, there's really only one way to find out, isn't there?"

There was a long pause before he answered me.

"You know. . . I think I'd rather not ask that question at the moment."

"Why's that?" I asked, slowly tracing around the opening of my sex. I felt the silkiness of my arousal mixing with the bath water.

"Because if I do . . . and you are . . . then I'll be unable to stop myself from taking this further. I'll want to know _all _of the details. I'll hear you, and I'll most definitely encourage you until you get what you want. I'd absolutely get what I want, too. But honestly, as fucking amazing as that would be, I hate the thought of sharing something like that for the first time over the phone. I want to be able to feel you, smell you, touch you. I need your skin and your lips and your breath on me."

Edward's words alone were almost enough to push me over the edge, and I couldn't stop the moan that escaped when I slid a finger inside myself. I could understand his point, and I even agreed with him. Phone sex could be very fun, but we weren't there yet. The first time I heard his voice urging me to come, I wanted it to when we were skin to skin with nothing between us. Yet, I was so fucking turned on at the moment that I literally couldn't stop touching myself. Not enough to finish the job, but definitely sufficient to keep me on the edge. It was a dangerous balancing act.

"I will agree with you under one condition, baby," I said softly, using two fingers to pinch my swollen clit.

"Which is?"

"Later on, at some point this weekend, you have to tell me exactly what you did the minute we hung up from this conversation."

"And will you tell me as well?"

"Absolutely."

"Deal."

I hummed in approval and returned my hand to my breast, plucking at my tight nipple.

"So. . . going back to plans for this weekend," Edward said, and I laughed lightly at his determination to change the subject. "If you're over at my place around noon, then I was thinking we could go to Armature Works for lunch. I haven't been there in a while and I'd like to see what's new."

"I love Armature Works," I replied. And I really did. It was an awesome food hall right on the river. Some of the stalls were permanent while others rotated. "I love the Riverwalk, too. I always end up eating too much whenever I go there, so the walk is nice afterwards."

"Well, I think that should be the start of our weekend. Great food, a walk along the water, then we'll see where we want to go from there. Sound good?"

"Mmm, count me in." My hand trailed back down to my pussy, just to very gently stroke over the swollen lips, and I knew that once I hung up from Edward I would be coming in record time. It was inevitable.

"I'm gonna let you get back to your bath, angel," he murmured. "There is something here that needs my. . . immediate attention."

I laughed.

"I bet I could guess what that something might be. Remember, I want to hear all about it."

"What a naughty, sexy, thing you are," he said huskily. "We'll talk more tomorrow. Good night, Bella."

"Good night, Edward."

I hit 'end' on my phone and dropped it back onto the little tub-side stool. One hand covered my breast, squeezing and massaging, while the other slid under the water and between my thighs. I rubbed my clit firm and fast, my head full of images of Edward. I thought about the weekend, knowing I'd finally be able to explore his body the way I'd been aching to. I knew without a doubt that he'd be an amazing lover; his kisses alone set me completely on fire. I remembered the thick steeliness of his erection pressed against me when I'd been straddling his lap. I couldn't wait to actually expose all of that hot, smooth, skin, to feel him in my hand, take him in my mouth, welcome him into my body.

My fingers rubbed harder, pressing and circling. Oh, I had so many plans. I wanted hard and fast, but also deep and slow. I wanted frantic and gentle, tender and desperate.

I just wanted _him._

I wondered if he was stroking himself and thinking of me right this minute. I pictured the look of need that would highlight his handsome face; his eyes would be closed, head thrown back, sharp jaw tightly clenched as his hand slid up and down his straining hard cock. The thought was unbearably hot, enough to push me right over the edge. My back arched and I orgasmed in wave upon wave of deep, throbbing pleasure.

Quite a while later, I finally found the strength to pull myself from the now-cooling water. I opened the drain and stepped out of the tub, wrapping myself in a thick towel and making my way to the bedroom of the suite. There was nothing I wanted more than to just crawl naked under the soft-looking feather duvet and slip into sleep. My bones felt like pudding, and I let out a huge yawn, jumping a little bit as my phone on the nightstand beeped with a text.

_I wanted to, angel. More than anything. But I think it would have made the waiting that much harder. 3 more days, Bella. Then everything that we've both thought about becomes reality. 3 more days and you're mine xo_

I blinked back a sudden tear. I knew I was being overemotional, but that amazing orgasm made me miss him more and he said such sweet things. My heart was just overwhelmed.

_**I'm already yours, baby. In 3 days I'll prove it xo**_

*TBC*

_**Awww! We're getting closer, guys! Please let me know your thoughts on this one. I know this chapter was a bit shorter and some might say it was "filler" but it gets us where we need to be for what comes next. Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my words, and for those faithful readers that come back to read and review every chapter I post, I love y'all! I try to answer all of my reviews, but please forgive me if I've missed any xoxo**_


	9. Chapter 9

_***deep breath* This is a monster of a chapter, the biggest so far, and to date it's been the most challenging one to write, but just stay with me, okay?**_

_**Let's hear from Edward, shall we? **_

She was going to be the death of me.

I collapsed back against the couch, breathing hard, my body still twitching from the mind-blowing orgasm that had left me dazed. My dick pulsed weakly, completely spent.

I frowned as the air conditioning chose that moment to click on, the cold breeze blowing across my now cum-splattered stomach. Fuck. I hadn't planned on coming like a Mac truck in my living room, didn't have anything close by to deal with the mess. That simple phone call to say good night had went in a direction I honestly hadn't anticipated. I shouldn't have been surprised, though. The woman could turn me on faster than flipping a light switch, and when she sent me that fucking gorgeous picture of her, all rosy cheeks and happy eyes, her creamy shoulders naked above the water, I'd been rock hard in moments. After we'd hung up, it had taken me approximately twenty-two seconds before I cursed my way through a blindingly hot orgasm.

Standing shakily, I made for the kitchen. I grabbed some paper towels and wiped off, then tucked myself back into the track pants I had thrown on after changing out of my work clothes to eat dinner. It would have to do for now; I planned on taking a shower, anyway, but had decided to call Bella first.

_Bella._

Never could I have imagined how quickly my life would change when Jasper and I got the call to take the statement of Chaser's girlfriend, she who had narrowly escaped with her life. The Violent Crimes Bureau had been monitoring Deveraux for months, and since Chaser had been exposed as a known associate, we needed to find out if she knew anything about her now-deceased boyfriend's criminal actions and if they involved Deveraux. Of course, she'd had no fucking clue.

My first reaction to Bella took me completely off guard. The minute I'd stepped into that hospital room and saw her looking so small and weary in the bed, my heart had literally jumped in my chest. Even with the trauma she had been through, she was still beautiful to me, those rosy lips and shiny, coffee-colored hair the first things I noticed. One eye was swollen and bruised, and both were bloodshot, but her voice was mostly steady and calm when she spoke. Jasper performed introductions, and all I could do was just stand there silently, trying to calm my racing heart and suddenly sweaty palms.

Thankfully, Jasper did most of the immediate questioning and by the time I actually spoke to her I'd pulled myself together and managed to keep any emotion from affecting my voice.

Well, mostly.

I found her to be articulate and well-spoken; her voice was raspy from her ordeal, but I could tell it was pleasingly deep, yet feminine. It was easy to see the toll it took on her to recount the whole story, and I'd had the strongest urge to edge closer, to hold her hand, do anything I could to help her even the slightest bit. Her account was heartbreaking to listen to, and I felt such anger towards the person who had caused all of this. I was happy he was dead.

Bella impressed me with her strength. I'd seen a lot of shit in my career, had witnessed people fall into spirals of depression and/or fear after living through something like that. My heart went out to every one of them, it really did. We, as law enforcement officers, receive specialized training to help deal with the threats we face every day on the job, to make sure we're as safe as possible. But, for victims like Bella, when the violent acts truly do come out of nowhere, they can't be prepared for something like that and sometimes it just breaks them.

I was relieved when it became apparent that she was not going to let the terrifying situation get the best of her, and everything I learned about Bella in the days since the hospital made me admire her even more.

I wanted to make her mine.

The immediate attraction I felt for her had not faded in the slightest in the weeks since her attack. It grew stronger every time I spoke to her or saw her. Meeting her in the park, I'd shocked the hell out of myself by telling her of the nightmare my mother went through. At the time, I didn't understand why I did it, except maybe I wanted her to realize it didn't make her weak if she did end up needing professional help to aid in her healing. I'd watched my mother struggle so much, but therapy had been a miracle for our family. It had brought her back to us.

When I'd realized Garrett's wedding was being held at her hotel, I'd warred with myself over whether or not to approach her while I was there. She'd been through a horrible thing and I thought maybe it would be best to just let things be for a while, to give it some time. I could always get in touch with her later, take things at a slow pace. But then, when I'd glimpsed her looking so adorable in that hoodie with her face free of makeup as she slipped around the corner? There just hadn't been a choice. It felt like I was _meant_ to see her; had I left the wedding one minute sooner or one minute later, we would not have crossed paths. So, I took it as a sign and followed her.

From then on, she consumed me, my connection to her unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. I found myself speaking of things in my life that I usually only shared with people I'd known and trusted for years, yet it felt right to be so open, to show myself truly to her. I wasn't someone who trusted easily, yet with Bella I felt like I _had _to be nothing but totally honest with her. There was none of the getting-to-know-you bullshit, no holding back parts of myself until I was more comfortable. Her mere presence invited me to share the good and the bad of my world, and I _loved_ that she was willing to do the same.

Flashes of our time together flipped through my mind like a slideshow. Her office, telling her about Tanya in the coffee shop, dinner at Ben's place, her needless yet flattering jealousy, talking and laughing for hours, kissing her on her rooftop. Oh God, those kisses. I wanted to explore every single inch of her fucking amazing little body. Her curves drove me crazy; that rounded ass like a flawless peach, her smoothly muscled legs, tiny waist, those tits that were heavy and warm and a perfect fit for my hand. She smelled incredible, so fresh and sweet, and when she laughed her brown eyes shined like liquid chocolate.

Bella was the whole package. She was strong and confident, but I'd seen the softer, more vulnerable side of her as well. She was smart and funny, her beauty just the topping on the cake. I wanted her so badly, and when she confessed that she fucking dreamed about me,it had taken every bit of willpower I possessed not to carry her into her bedroom and lay her down on that giant, decadent bed. I wanted to just lose myself in her for hours, to become very intimately acquainted with her scent and her taste, to find all the spots that made her shiver and scream. It would have been so easy; I knew she wanted me just as badly, she'd even told me as much. But, I would have beenunable to take my time with her, not the way I wanted for our first time together, and the thought of leaving her afterwards was just unacceptable. So, I'd _very_ reluctantly put a stop to things before I lost my strength.

We'd spoken on the phone several times since then, but the week really had been dragging by at a snail's pace for me. It didn't help that I'd spent the last two days in court, definitely not my favorite part of the job. At least tomorrow I would get a change of scenery as Jasper and I drove to Miami. A shipment of weapons had been confiscated and it looked like there was a connection to one of our cases in Tampa. As a bonus, I knew I was going to be getting some kickass picadillo and Cuban bread with olive butter from my favorite little Spanish cafe down there.

Then it would be Friday and there was dinner with my parents and my Aunt Jane and Uncle Felix, who was my mom's brother. They never had children and lived abroad in England these days, but were coming to check on some rental property they owned. They only came to town a few times a year and so my mom wanted to do a family dinner. Jasper's sister Rosalie was also coming to dinner; my mother just adored her and had ever since they'd met so many years ago. With Jasper and I being partners as well as best friends, our families saw a lot of each other. I'm pretty sure that at one point my mom had some hope that Rose and I would fall for each other, but there hadn't ever been that kind of spark between us. She was like my kid sister, as much as Jasper was a brother to me. They were my family, if not by blood, then by choice. My mom invited her to dinner on Friday because she knew that the Spanish paella she was planning on making was Rose's favorite dish and she'd promised to teach her how to prepare it. I was looking forward to just relaxing and catching up with some of my favorite people. Jasper had been invited as well, but he'd already had plans to meet up with some of the guys from the station to hit the driving range, since Alice would be busy with Bella at the gala.

After Friday would come what I'd been looking forward to more than anything. Practically a whole weekend with Bella. I knew what was going to be happening and I planned on spending a large portion of that weekend with her in my bed. I'd feed us, of course. We'd need the strength for all of the scenarios that were on a constant loop in my mind since the moment I'd invited her over. Long before that, actually. I was determined to learn her body, find out what pleased her and excited her the most, which places to touch and kiss and lick to ensure she lost her mind. It was a task I was _really_ looking forward to.

The weekend couldn't come quickly enough for me.

After locking up my house for the night, I took a shower and crawled naked into my bed. I was tired after a long day, plus some good food, and a fantastic orgasm. In the morning I'd be one day closer to seeing her again. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and sent her a quick text, hoping it wouldn't wake her, but unable to stop myself.

_I wanted to, angel. More than anything. But I think it would have made the waiting that much harder. 3 more days, Bella. Then everything that we've both thought about becomes reality. 3 more days and you're mine xo_

Her reply came swiftly.

_**I'm already yours, baby. In 3 days I'll prove it. XO**_

Like I said, she was going to be the death of me.

*EotN*

"Can you believe that cowardly piece of shit hasn't even introduced us yet?"

I burst out laughing at Rosalie's greeting. After seeing my mom and dad and Jane and Felix, I'd made my way into the kitchen to grab a beer and found Rosalie taking the tails off some shrimp for the paella that was baking away in the oven and filling the kitchen with a mouthwatering aroma.

"Well, hello to you, too," I replied, walking aver and poking her in the ribs before getting a beer from the fridge. "How lovely to be in your company again, Rosalie."

She rolled her eyes at me.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. But, really, Edward? He's ga-ga over this Alice woman, yet he refuses to let me meet her."

"Rose, they've only been on a few dates."

"Trust me, my brother is a goner. Have you seen that stupid smile he gets when he talks about her?"

"Yes, I'm quite familiar with it," I said with a laugh and a nod.

"Goner. I mean, we live together, it's not like it would be out of the realm of possibility for her to come over, would it? They're on the freaking phone all night long, he wanders around the house like he's in a trance and they just jabber away at each other. Do me a solid, Edward, and just smack me across the face if I ever act like that, okay? But, still, as annoying as he is, I know she makes him happy and I want to meet her, damn it!"

And with that, she angrily threw the last shrimp tail into a bowl and let out a frustrated huff before washing her hands at the sink. I leaned against the counter and shook my head at her, taking a long swallow from my beer.

I loved Rose to death, but she could be a lot to handle sometimes. She was impatient, had a hell of a temper, and was honest to a fault. She was also one of the most loyal and loving people I'd ever met, once you cracked through the bitchy exterior. Younger than Jasper by three years, she had bounced back and forth between her divorced parents until she was seventeen and then she came to live with him and never looked back. The Whitlocks had been shitty parents and neither Jasper nor Rose saw them very often these days. He'd had his hands full with her when she was younger; Rose had been a bit of a wild child. He'd almost blown a gasket when she told him she wanted to be a tattoo artist and open her own shop. But, she'd proven to him how serious she was by working hard in art school while holding down a part time job, and then getting an apprenticeship at a very well known shop. She steadily built her reputation there and eventually, with the help of an inheritance from her grandmother, opened her own place at the age of twenty-five. Her work was stellar and word traveled fast. These days, people drove from all over the state to have their ink done by her, and her shop in Ybor held a shelf of the various awards she'd won so far.

It occurred to me, just then, that Rose and Bella had quite a bit in common. They were both strong and determined, both quite successful women in otherwise mostly male dominated industries, and both had been dealt a crappy hand when it came to parents. There was also the fact that they were both stunning. Whereas Bella was petite and dark and curvy, almost exotic looking, Rose was tall and statuesque. Her hair was long and blond, her eyes a startling violet color. She stood five foot ten in her bare feet, and could bring a man to his knees when she was wearing a bikini. I'd witnessed it myself, on more than one occasion. Her skin was pale and unmarked, an odd thing considering how she made her living. But, Rose always said she had no interest in marking her own body, it was everyone else's she loved to get her hands on. It was the aspect of creating unique art for each individual person that drew her to become a tattoo artist. She found it very personal, and often said she learned a lot about people when they bared their skin to her. I'd have to agree that it was very personal, or at least it should be.

"Edward, where the heck are you? Because you sure as shit aren't in your mother's kitchen with me."

I jumped at her words, and she laughed deeply.

"Holy fuck, I know that face! You're as much of a goner as Jazz is!"

"I'm not even going to try and deny it, Rose. Bella is amazing, and I've fallen as hard and as fast as a person can possibly fall," I told her truthfully. Her eyebrows rose as she came towards me, her hands on her hips.

"Edward," she whispered. "This is really that serious? I've never heard you talk about someone like this."

"There hasn't ever been someone like this," was my simple reply. I shrugged and drank the rest of my beer, tossing the bottle in the recycling can under the sink.

"Well, in that case, I can't wait to meet your Bella, either. We should do like a dinner or something. I'd really love to see for myself these woman who have come to mean so much to my brothers."

"That sounds like a great idea. Hey, who's covering the shop tonight, anyway? Aren't Fridays usually really busy?"

"Yeah, but Jared can handle it. I didn't schedule any clients tonight; I planned on cutting out early, anyway, even before Esme invited me for dinner. I haven't taken a night off in a long time, ya know? I'm starting to feel a bit burned out."

"It's fucking phenomenal that your shop has become so successful, but I'm sure you're under a fair amount of stress. Are you doing okay?"

"Oh, I'm good, honest. Ya know what it is, I think I'm just feeling a bit fucking lonely these days." She sighed and leaned her elbows on the counter top. "It's been six months since Royce and I broke up and while I don't miss _him_ per say, I do miss the companionship. Ya know, someone to talk to at the end of the day, a snuggle buddy to watch a movie. Plus I'm coming up on the longest fucking dry spell ever, and I'm not gonna lie, I miss the sex." I had to hold back a laugh at her scowl as she said that. "Problem is, there hasn't been anyone lately who has even sparked an interest, and I've been so busy at the shop I haven't had time to even make an attempt to hook up."

I grabbed two more beers and handed her one, throwing my arm around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze.

"Well, all I can tell you is that, talking from my own experience, meeting that person can happen when you really do least expect it. So just keep your eyes open, Rosebud."

She rolled her eyes at my use of the silly nickname I'd given her years before, but she did lean her head on my shoulder and clank her beer bottle against mine.

"Here's to least expecting it," she toasted, and we drank.

Dinner that night was a fun and light-hearted affair. My mother's fucking superb paella was accompanied by a giant Ceasar salad, fresh bread from Le Segunda, and Rose had brought my dad's favorite homemade coconut cream pie bars. We ate and laughed and I couldn't remember a family dinner I'd enjoyed more in recent years. I really did need to make a point of coming to see my parents more often, but it was difficult sometimes because of my crazy work schedule, plus my fathers' hours at the hospital and my mom meeting with all her various clients. I was quizzed about Bella, of course. My mom and dad knew I was seeing someone, but then all four of them ganged up on me while Rose looked on in glee. I didn't offer too much, just an adequate amount to appease the worst of their curiosity.

After dessert was demolished by all of us, my mother insisted on packing me up some leftover paella into containers I could freeze at home for future dinners, and I was helping her in the kitchen when my phone rang. The screen showed me it was Bella, our smiling faces looking back at me, and I answered it with a grin.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be mingling at your gala with your guests right about now?" I said teasingly.

"Edward, it's Jake."

My entire body tensed.

"Jake, what's wrong? Why do you have Bella's phone, where is she?"

"She's fine, I promise. She didn't want me to call you, but something's happened and she's extremely upset, and I think maybe you should come."

"I'm on my way, I'll be there in ten minutes," I told him and hung up.

"Sweetie, what is it?" My mom asked, drying her hands on a dish towel. She and Rose and my Aunt Jane were looking at me with concern.

"I have to go, something's happened, I don't know what, but I have to get to Bella. That was her friend Jake and he said she's really upset. I'm sorry, Mom, tell Dad and Uncle Felix I'm sorry-"

She held her hand up, shushing my words.

"Don't you worry about it, darling boy. You go to your Bella, I hope everything is okay."

I pressed a kiss to her cheek as well as that of my Aunt Jane, before turning to Rosalie.

"Rose, can you take me? I hadn't planned on driving this early, and I had a good amount of wine with dinner, plus those beers before."

"Absolutely, come on."

We jumped into Rose's 4Runner and she navigated the streets of downtown expertly, getting us to Luxe in record time. Due to the gala being held tonight. it was busier than normal, but Rose spotted an empty space and quickly pulled into it, tires practically squealing. Billy opened the lobby doors for us as we entered, and I saw Seth waiting at the front desk.

"Edward!" He waved us over. "Come on, I'll send you up. Well, hello darlin', I'm Seth," he spoke to Rosalie as we walked towards the bank of elevators.

"Seth, this is Rosalie, a good friend of mine who drove me here."

"Hi, Seth," she gave him a little wave and he winked.

"Is she okay?" I asked him as we waited. "Jake didn't tell me much."

"Shaken up and scared, but otherwise unharmed. It seems like some sort of a sick joke, but I'll let them explain it to you. Jake and Emmett are up there with her, Alice is handling things at the gala, and I have to get back to the bar."

The elevator arrived and Seth scanned his thumb and entered the code before punching the button for the penthouse.

"Thanks, Seth," I said, nodding at him.

"No problem, Edward. Take care of her tonight, she's feeling a bit fragile, I think. It was lovely to meet you, Rosalie."

"You too, Seth."

The elevator doors closed, and as the car began to rise Rosalie turned to me.

"Shit, Edward, should I be here? I just kinda followed you, but she doesn't even know me. I don't know what's going on, but she might not want a stranger in her home right now."

"Just come in for a minute, at least until I can find out what's happening, okay?"

She nodded.

The elevator stopped at the penthouse and I walked quickly to Bella's door. It swung wide before I could ring the doorbell and Jake stood there. He looked solemn.

"Thanks for coming so quickly," he said, waving us inside.

"Rose, this is Jake. Jake, Rose," I said by way of introduction. "She drove me here." They nodded at each other and then Jake turned his attention to me.

"Bella didn't want me to bother you because she knew you were having dinner with your family, but I really feel like she needs you right now, man. Plus, we definitely need to report this to the police."

"Report what? What is it?"

Jake sighed.

"She was about to head up to her place to start getting ready for the gala. We were at the front desk, just going over a few final details. She remembered that there was a folder in her car that she needed, something about one of the pieces of art in the silent auction. So she ran out to the car to grab it. About a minute later she came tearing back inside, her face as white as a sheet, crying. She ran right past me, trying to get to the elevator. I went after her but she was pretty incoherent, all I could understand was that it had something to do with her cats. We get to her place and she calls for them, and of course those two spoiled things come running, and she literally collapses onto the floor and starts sobbing. It took me a while, but I finally got it out of her."

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his dark hair in an agitated movement.

"Edward, when she opened her car door there were two dead cats inside, on the passenger seat."

"What the hell?" I barked, confusion and then anger shooting through me. Jake nodded.

"Yeah. Someone put two fucking dead animals in her car. One was orange and one was white and they were. . . well, pretty mutilated, obviously killed for that purpose. She thought they were Ginger and Mary Ann, and to be honest I would have thought the same thing, with the color of the fur. Whoever did it wanted her to think it was them."

I was stunned.

"Jake, are there security cameras in the garage? Where her car was?"

He nodded.

"Has anyone else touched the car?"

"No. Nothing has been touched at all."

"Ok, hold on a second."

I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed the station, explaining the situation. Luck was on my side, and a patrol officer I knew well happened to be available and promised to be there soon, along with a couple of others to process the car. Satisfied, I turned back to Jake.

"Someone will be here soon. Now, where is she?"

"In her room. Emmett's in there with her."

I turned to Rosalie, who looked just as shocked as I felt.

"I'm gonna go talk to her. You can take off if you want, or hang for a minute."

"I'd personally love a drink right now," Jake chimed in. "Rose, can I get you something?"

She nodded.

"Absolutely. I'll stay for a bit, Edward."

"Okay."

I made my way to her bedroom, saw that the door was slightly open, and pushed it wider. It revealed Emmett sitting on the edge of Bella's massive bed, her small form curled up with her head on his lap, and his large hand was rubbing her back. Both Ginger and Mary Ann were on the bed next to her. It was so hard for me to see her like that, and my heart ached in my chest. Even with the nightmare she went through with Chaser, I'd never seen her like this, so visibly vulnerable and obviously hurting. She just looked so . . . wounded. Every protective instinct I possessed rose up inside of me.

I knocked lightly on the door frame and Bella's eyes fell on me. She sat up quickly and I met her halfway as she stumbled towards me. I wrapped my arms around her trembling form and her fingers clutched the front of my shirt.

"I told them not to call you, but I'm really fucking glad you're here," she said into my neck, her voice brimming with tears.

"I'm sorry, angel," I murmured against the top of her head. "I'm so sorry someone did that to you."

Emmett gave me a nod as he moved past us and closed the door behind him. I guided Bella over to the chaise in front of her fireplace and sat down, pulling her onto my lap and just holding her against me. She cried softly for a little bit, barely making any noise at all.

"Those poor kitties, Edward," she finally said, her voice tremulous. "How could anyone be so cruel?"

"I don't know, but we'll find out who did this. There's an officer on the way right now." I gently lifted her chin to study her beautiful, tear-stained face. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded.

"I'm fine. Just shocked and . . . sad. They looked like them, Edward. One orange and one white and I thought-" Her words ended with a sob and I pressed my lips against her forehead.

"But, it wasn't. And it's really sad what happened to those poor cats, but your spoiled girls are just fine. Someone just wanted to scare you."

"Well, it worked," came her disgruntled reply. "Now poor Alice is stuck handling the gala practically by herself because I can't pull myself together, and your family dinner got interrupted because of me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Bella. And what is all this about not wanting to call me, huh?" I pulled back to look down into her face. She gave a little shrug.

"It's just that I knew you were looking forward to spending time with your aunt and uncle, and your parents, and it wasn't like a matter of life and death or anything. I was planning on calling you later, after I had calmed down a bit. Except, I can't seem to." She shivered and I hugged her close.

"You can call me any time at all, angel. No matter what. Now, give me two minutes and I'll be right back, okay?"

She nodded and I stood, setting her gently on her feet. I dipped my head and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Her body immediately relaxed against me.

"Don't move," I whispered, dropping one more kiss to her mouth before I turned to leave the room.

When I re-entered the main living area, Jake was gone and I found Emmett and Rosalie in a muted yet seemingly intense conversation as they sat close at the kitchen bar. Their heads were tilted towards one another and their voices were low, glasses of wine on the counter top between them. Both turned to me and straightened up when I walked into their view.

"How is she?" Rose asked softly, sipping her wine.

"Sad," I replied. "Confused. I think anger is somewhere under there too, but she's mostly just heartbroken at the death of two innocent animals."

"Someone's trying to fuck with her," Emmett stated, his fists curling tightly on the smooth granite. "Two cats that looked just like hers. Whoever it is has to know how much she loves her cats."

"I agree. There's an officer on the way to talk to her, and there will be a team coming to process her car. I wish she didn't have to go through this tonight, but it's better to do these things as quickly as possible."

Emmett nodded.

"There's security cameras in the parking lot. Maybe the fucker got caught on one of them," he said.

"Let's hope so. And maybe there will be some prints or something else useful found in her car, as well. Emmett, can you think of anyone who would want to do this? Have there been any altercations at the hotel lately, with any of the guests? Someone she's had words with? Disgruntled ex employee? Anyone at all?"

He shook his head.

"None that I'm aware of, man. Everything has been really quiet since the whole ordeal with Chaser."

"Well, she's still pretty upset so I'm gonna stay with her tonight. Has she eaten yet, do you know?"

"I don't think so; she was planning on eating at the gala. Tell her that I just spoke with Alice and she said everything is totally under control and going well and for her not to worry."

I nodded.

"After her statement has been taken, I'll try and get her to eat something, at least."

I turned to Rose.

"Thanks for bringing me. I'll get my car from mom and dad's tomorrow."

"Of course." She slid off the bar stool and squeezed me in a hug. "Let me know if ya need anything."

"Tell Jazz I'll call him tomorrow, okay? I don't know if Alice has been in touch with him or not tonight."

"Sure."

"Rose, I'll walk you down," Emmett volunteered, standing from the bar. "Edward, you'll call me if she needs anything? I'll be downstairs with Alice." He handed me a piece of paper with a number scribbled on it, and I slipped it into my pocket.

"Absolutely."

"Thank you, sincerely. I'm glad you came tonight. She needs you, and I know you'll take care of her." His face was serious, and though I didn't know Emmett well at all, I knew that what we had in common was our need to keep Bella safe. He'd been doing it her whole life, and he had my utmost respect.

"I will, Emmett." I hoped he knew that I wasn't just talking about tonight.

The two of them left and I locked the door behind them. I found Bella right where I'd left her; she was sitting on the chaise and appeared to be in deep thought, a faraway look in her eyes. I stepped in front of her and she met my gaze with a slight smile, standing up. My arms encircled her waist and she rested her cheek against my chest.

"Emmett said to tell you that he spoke to Alice and everything is totally fine, you don't have to worry about anything at the gala. Also, there's an interesting development," I said to her, hoping to take her mind of off things, if only for a minute.

"What is it?" she said softly.

"Rosalie drove me here tonight because she was also having dinner at my parents and I didn't really want to drive since I'd had some wine and beer. Anyway, she came upstairs with me and just now I found her and Emmett looking _very_ cozy in your kitchen."

Bella lifted her face to me and I was thrilled when I saw a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Really? That _is_ interesting. He does have a thing for blondes."

"We'll see," I said, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively, loving the small giggle the action earned.

My phone beeped with a text and I opened it to find a message from Eric Yorkie, the officer coming tonight. He had just arrived.

"You feeling up to talking to Officer Yorkie?"

She nodded.

"Let's get this over with. Can he come up here, or do I have to go downstairs?"

"Up here is fine."

I called Eric and told him that after he took a look at the car someone would send him up to the penthouse. He arrived about twenty minutes later and Bella spent that time wrapped around me on the sofa, not really talking, but she seemed to be soothed by just my presence. When the doorbell rang, I verified who it was through the peephole and then let him in.

"Cullen." He nodded at me and I shook his hand.

"Hey, Eric. Come on in."

He followed me to the living room, and Bella stood from the couch. I felt a frisson of pride run through me when I saw her square her shoulders and take a deep breath, putting on her game face.

"Bella, this is Officer Yorkie. Eric, this is Isabella Swan."

They shook hands and Bella gestured to the couch across from the one we'd been sitting on. Eric took out a digital recorder and set it on the coffee table.

"Friday, October twenty-second, two thousand eighteen. This is officer Eric Yorkie taking a statement from Isabella Swan. Ms. Swan, can you please take me back to earlier this evening when you went to your car?"

I sat beside Bella on the couch as she told Eric what had transpired, explaining how she had opened the door and saw the dead cats inside. She had seen no one in the parking lot nearby, and didn't know where the cats had came from. There hadn't been anyone in recent times that she'd had any sort of altercation with, and she honestly had no idea who would have done it.

When he was finished with all of his various questions, Eric clicked off the recorder and put it back in his pocket.

"Ms. Swan, there are two officers doing a preliminary processing of your car right now. However, because of the time of night, they feel it would be better to have it taken to the station where a more in-depth search can be done."

Bella nodded.

"If any evidence is found, we will absolutely let you know, but these things do take time, unfortunately. It's not like in the movies where results come back super quick. I've also asked the head of your hotel security to send the parking lot surveillance footage to us so it can be analyzed for possible suspects. And officers will be questioning any potential witnesses. We will definitely be in touch when we find out anything."

Bella thanked Eric and I walked him to the door.

"Holy shit, Cullen," he said in a low voice as I reached for the doorknob.

"I know," I said with a sigh. "Sick bastard."

"Did you see the cats?"

"No, I haven't been out to the car."

"The white one's throat was damn near sliced through; it's head almost came off. Poor thing." He shook his head. "I hope we can find something that points us at the asshole who did this."

"Me too, Eric. She's been through enough lately, and now this. Thanks for coming out so quickly."

"Not a problem, man. She seems like a really nice girl, crazy that someone did this to her. You guys together?" he asked and I nodded.

"Yeah. It's new, but yeah."

"Geez, what does she see in your ugly ass?"

I barked out a laugh.

"I have no idea."

_**So. Yeah. Um, I did warn y'all that this story contained angst. I know a lot of you were figuring that this update would be their awesome reunion with lots of sexy times, and I'm sorry if there's disappointment, but this was planned for a very long time. The next chapter will pick up right where this one left off, and I promise not to make you wait too long for it. I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether you're intrigued or actually want to come after me with a pitchfork. For those of you still sticking with me, thank you 3 **_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Hello, my loves. So sorry for the delay. Life these days, am I right? Hope you all are safe and doing well xo**_

_**A bit of a recap, since it's been a while: Last chapter was Edward's POV, we heard about all his first impressions of Bella, and then he received the phone call from Jacob. Dead cats inside her car *shudder* He's comforting his poor angel and trying to get her through this. **_

I found Bella in the kitchen, sipping a glass of red wine. A freshly opened bottle sat on the counter next to her and she silently lifted it towards me in question, but I declined. I leaned against the island and she walked over to stand in front of me, the hand not holding her wine glass coming to rest on my waist. She looked so tired, and I cupped her cheek, brushing my thumb over the soft skin beneath her eye.

"Word on the street is that you haven't had dinner yet."

"No, I haven't," she said with a sigh.

"How do you feel about taking a hot shower, and I'll fix you something to eat, huh? I'm at your beck and call tonight, my angel."

"You'll stay with me?" Her tone was hopeful.

"All night, if that's what you want."

"I want," she whispered, before leaning up a pressing a soft kiss to my mouth. "And a shower does sound pretty good right now."

"Good. You go do what you need to, take your time, and I'll have some food ready, okay?"

"Do you cook, Edward? I don't think I ever asked."

"I can navigate a kitchen," I said with a smile. "Come find me when you're done."

"Okay. There's plenty of stuff to choose from; I don't get to cook as often as I'd like to, but Mrs. Mavis does, and she takes care of the grocery shopping."

I nodded, certain I could put something together. As she turned and made her way towards the hall to her bedroom, I couldn't help but admire the perfect curve of her ass, encased in snug trousers. She smiled sweetly at me before disappearing around the corner.

She had no fucking clue what that smile did to me.

Bella was right about her kitchen being well stocked, and after looking through the fridge and pantry I decided to make some homemade mac and cheese. It was one of the very first things my mother taught me to cook as a teenager, and it was the ultimate comfort food. My Bella needed some comfort. I took out a block of cheddar cheese and some butter and cream from the fridge and set a pot of water to boil for the bowtie pasta I found in the pantry. Some flour and spices were quickly located, and by the time Bella made her way into the kitchen after her shower, I had everything almost done.

She looked completely adorable in a pair of pink flannel pajama bottoms and a little black t-shirt that read "You're Killin' Me Smalls!". Her damp hair hung in a thick braid over one shoulder and her face was free of any makeup. She was sweetness and beauty, and my heart clenched again at the thought that someone had done something so cruel to her.

"Feel better?" I asked as I drained the pasta into a colander in the sink.

"I do. And, I'm actually quite hungry," she replied, peeking into the pot of cheese sauce. "Mac and cheese? That sounds amazing right about now. Good choice, baby."

Letting the pasta drip for a few moments in the sink, I pulled her close to me and she snuggled in with a little hum, her arms going around my waist. The scent of peaches was fresh and luscious, and I couldn't help but press my lips to the side of her neck.

"I've missed you, by the way. I can't believe how much," I told her, my mouth traveling to her chin where I pressed another kiss.

"I've missed you, too," she replied softly, tilting her head to look at me.

I lowered my head and captured her mouth and, God, her lips were so soft and full as they molded to mine. We kissed for long, unhurried moments, reacquainting ourselves with each other's mouths, lips, tongues. With each stroke, every taste, she melted more into me. I sucked on her bottom lip, gently bit it, before sliding my tongue against hers with a groan of pleasure, just fucking losing myself in the wet heat of her mouth. I felt her fingers clutching my back, fisting handfuls of my shirt. She trembled in my arms, her sexy little moan permeating the haze of lust blanketing my brain, and I knew I had to stop before I swung her up onto the kitchen counter and ripped those adorable PJ bottoms off. Tonight wasn't the time, not yet. She'd been so upset, and I wanted, _needed,_ to take care of her.

I slowly gentled my kisses, brushing my lips lightly over her cheeks and forehead and nose before tucking her under my chin.

"It'll just take me a minute to finish this. Where do you want to eat? In here or maybe on the terrace?" I asked her.

"In here," she replied. "Let's eat on the couch and see of there's anything good on TV."

I mixed the sauce and noodles together, and even though I'd already eaten at my parents, I still scooped myself some and brought our bowls to the living room area. We sat together on the couch and she found a cable channel that was playing Pulp Fiction. Eating and talking, watching the movie, she became more and more relaxed. Ginger and Maryann wandered around for a bit before they both settled onto the plush ottoman. When we had finished the mac and cheese, I set the bowls on the coffee table and Bella snuggled up against me.

"I'm really glad you're here," she eventually murmured.

"I'm so sorry this happened, but please don't ever hesitate to call if you need me, okay?"

"Okay. Also, you make fuckawesome mac and cheese."

I laughed at her proclamation, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"My mom taught me how."

"Then your mom is fuckawesome, too."

"I would agree."

The movie played and little by little, I felt her melt more and more against me until it was obvious she had fallen asleep. My poor angel. I held her quietly for a while, half watching the TV but my mind was still thinking of everything that could be done to find out who had killed those poor cats and scared the everloving shit out of Bella. Animal cruelty and breaking into a car were serious charges, and I really hoped evidence was found that could point us in the right direction. Maybe it was some weirdo who had heard about her in the news recently.

Eventually my arm started to fall asleep and I had no choice but to move. I tried to pull it out from behind Bella as gently as possible, but she still stirred.

"Don't go," she mumbled, her eyes slowly blinking open.

"I'm not," I assured her. "But, my arm went numb. Come on, lets get you to bed."

I stood and offered her my hand, which she took. We made our way to the bedroom and the cats followed us, meowing loudly.

"Wait, I have to feed them," Bella said with a wide yawn. "They know it's that time."

"You get ready for bed and I'll take care of them. Just tell me what to do."

"In the laundry room, there's a blue cabinet with a container of food and their bowls. There's a scoop inside the container, and they each get one scoop. And will you check that their water bowl is full?"

"Sure thing. I'll throw the dishes in the dishwasher, too. Be right back."

I found everything where Bella said it was and left the two cats happily munching on their kibble as I took care of the few dishes in the kitchen. I half expected to find her asleep when I made it to the bedroom, but she'd pulled the duvet back and was sitting up against the headboard, her arms wrapped around her drawn up knees. She was staring down at something in her hand. As I got closer, I saw it was a tiny pill. She looked very small and young in the huge bed, and I sat down next to her.

"The doctors gave me these in case I had trouble sleeping," she said quietly. "I never took even one after I got out of the hospital. I wanted to be able to put it all behind me on my own, without any drugs. And for the most part, I have. But, tonight... I don't know, Edward. Tonight I feel like I might just need a little help. Does that make me weak?" Her voice cracked and I felt my heart break for her. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close.

"Absolutely not," I assured her. "It makes you human, Bella. Take it from me, there are things that you see in life that you'll never forget, as much as you wish you could. And for you, I think what happened tonight is one of those things. It might fade eventually, but it will never fully disappear from your mind. And right now, while it's still so fresh? You do whatever you need to, my angel. There's absolutely no shame in taking that pill."

She sniffed and quickly put the pill in her mouth, swallowing it dry.

"Do you need anything else?"

She shook her head. "Just you."

"You have me," I promised. "I told you, I'm here for you tonight."

"I don't want my car anymore," she announced abruptly. "I can't get back inside it, Edward. I know even if it's all cleaned up I'll still see the blood." Her voice rose in pitch and I heard the edge of panic. I was glad she'd taken the pill. Despite her little nap on the couch earlier, I feared she'd be unable to settle down and sleep much at all without the pharmaceutical help.

"Then you get a different car," I soothed. I knew the events of the day had her overwrought and on edge. "I'll make sure all your things get removed from it, and you never have to see it again, okay?"

She nodded against my shoulder.

"This is different than James," she eventually whispered. "I wasn't hesitant about coming home afterwards, even though his attack happened here." A soft tremble went through her and I rubbed her back. "He hurt me, yes, but it was only me. I recovered, and I think I've done a pretty good job of moving on with my life." She sat back a little and lifted her hands to cup my face between them. I could see the raw emotion in her beautiful brown eyes. "Especially since I have you, now." She pressed a fleeting kiss to my mouth before continuing. "But this, someone actually set out to kill two poor, innocent animals for the sole purpose of scaring me to death, and I can't help but feel like I'm somehow responsible for them being dead, Edward."

"Hey, hey, this is not your fault, Bella," I protested, sliding my hands up her arms and holding her by the shoulders, making sure she looked at me before continuing. "The _only_ person responsible for those poor cats being killed is the sick fuck who did it. You didn't do anything wrong."

She let out a little hiccuping sob, and I held her while she cried.

Everything I knew about Bella, had learned about her, told me she was a very strong and capable woman, and it was heartbreaking to watch her go through this. Whoever the asshole was that had done this, they'd hit her where it really hurt. Her heart was so tender when it came to her cats, and animals in general. She just adored them.

"Will you sleep here, in my bed with me, Edward?" she asked me when she'd calmed down.

"Yes, if that's what you want."

"I do. I want to be close to you tonight. Will we still be able to have our weekend? I don't want this to change our plans."

"It won't," I told her. "You heard Eric; these things take time. There's nothing we can do at the moment until the results from your car come back, and he'll let us know if they find anything else. Tomorrow I'll run home and take care of a few things and then come and pick you up, okay?"

"Okay," she said tiredly. "I left you a new toothbrush in my bathroom. And there's a pair of shorts in there, too, if you want them. They're Seth's and they're clean."

"Thank you, I'll be right back."

I used the bathroom and brushed my teeth, then changed into the navy basketball shorts. I left my t-shirt on. Not that I didn't want the feel of her against my bare skin, because fuck did I ever. But tonight wasn't the time for that; she was still overwrought and I was hoping the sleeping pill would help her get a good night's rest.

When I returned to the bedroom, she had closed the blackout shades and the only light now was coming from a nightlight on the wall next to her closet. I could see enough to tell which side of the bed she was on, and I walked around to the other side, setting my phone down on the nightstand. As soon as I slid under the duvet, she moved towards me and I tangled our legs together, rubbing her back as she settled. She felt so good in my arms.

"Wow, you were right," I murmured against the crown of her head. "This bed really is like a cloud."

I felt her shake lightly, heard her soft giggle.

"I did tell you," she said.

We were quiet for a while and I thought maybe she had fallen asleep, but then she spoke quietly, not moving except to burrow just a bit tighter into my chest.

"You're the first man that's ever been in this bed," she said, surprising me.

"Am I?" I couldn't deny that the thought pleased me.

She nodded slightly.

"James never was. He rarely ever came up here. Like I said in my statement, we would usually meet downstairs or out somewhere. He was out of town a lot. We went away on a couple of weekend trips together, and I stayed at his apartment twice, but he never stayed here. Looking back, I guess it's odd that he never did, but now I'm just so glad. I have no real memories of him in this room, or this bed, and I like it that way."

"I do, too," I admitted.

"Before James, I hadn't had a steady boyfriend in years. When the hotel first opened I was just so busy, not even thinking about getting into a relationship. I'm not saying I lived the life of a nun," she said with a little snort. "But nothing was ever serious enough that I wanted to bring anyone to my home, or my bed. I had fun, and I was responsible, but yeah. Until you, I've been quite happy to keep my bed off-limits."

She still hadn't moved from her snuggled position, and I rubbed my cheek against the top of her head.

"_I'm_ quite happy that you have allowed me in," I told her.

"I don't think I ever had a choice, Edward. Honestly, from the very beginning, there was just something about you. Something I couldn't ignore, and didn't really want to."

She raised her head finally, and pressed her soft lips to mine in a sweet and tender kiss.

"Thank you," she whispered against my mouth before laying back down again. "Thank you for taking care of me." Her voice was beginning to slur a bit and I knew the sleeping pill was kicking in.

"Like you said, I don't think I ever really had a choice," I said softly. And it was the truth.

_**Yeah, I really REALLY didn't like the thought of James in that decadent bed. Yuck. So, I have it on good authority that Edward really DOES make a fuckawesome mac and cheese. Just sayin'. Also, the best Paella ever is in Ybor City at the Colombian restaurant, OMG amazing. Guh, now I want some. Thank you all so much for reading! Let me know your thoughts. **_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Hello my loves! Ok I'm so sorry for the technical difficulties, for those of you that got a page full of weird code. Sorry! I think it's fixed now. **_

_**So, Edward took care of his angel after a very rough night. Let's see what the morning brings.**_

I awoke to the sensation of soft lips brushing against my cheek, and then my forehead. A voice, _his _voice, murmured in my ear, and goosebumps broke out on my arms from his warm breath.

"Wake up, angel."

I shook my head and buried deeper under my duvet. An amused chuckle sounded from above me.

"You're so fucking adorable. But, I need to talk to you, Bella."

I sighed and finally opened my eyes. The lamp on my nightstand had been switched on and it revealed Edward lounging next to me, head propped on his hand, his hair sticking up in every direction. I reached up and ran my fingers through it.

"I like this look. Your hair really does have a mind of it's own, doesn't it?"

"It really does," he agreed with a smile. "Used to drive my mother nuts."

"I like it."

"I'm glad because there's not much I can do about it at this point, short of cutting it all off."

"Don't you dare!" I said with an exaggerated gasp.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, tracing his finger along my cheek.

"I did, thanks to that sedative I took." The events of the evening before flitted through my mind. I remembered waking up briefly at one point through the night, but I'd had no problems falling back asleep, snuggled up against Edward's warm body, his presence a comfort to me. "I think having you here helped as well. You kept any bad dreams away." That made him smile before his face turned serious once more.

"Eric texted me a little bit ago. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

I sat up and he did the same, facing me. He took my hands in his.

"Did they find something? In the car?" I wondered.

"They did. A hair, snagged on the gear shift. He said it's a long, blond hair. Have you had any passengers recently with that kind of hair?"

I shook my head.

"No, one one besides me or Alice have been in my car for weeks, and you've seen her hair, it's super short and dark."

He nodded.

"Well, if it had just been on the outside of the car, it might be that it was just secondary transfer from someone who walked past at some point. I mean, that's still a possibility. But, since it was actually snagged around the gear shift, I'd say there's a strong chance it came from our suspect. Also, they reviewed the security tapes. It does show someone approaching your car, but not from an ideal camera angle, I'm afraid. They had a sweatshirt with the hood pulled up and sunglasses so their face wasn't really visible. And they wore gloves. They did use something to jimmy open your lock, because Eric found scratches. However, and this is pretty interesting, he said everyone who saw the tape came to the same conclusion. It looks like a woman."

My eyes popped open wide.

"A woman? Really?"

"Yes. He said the way they walked, the smaller stature, the big black sunglasses, all pointed towards them being female. Can you think of anyone at all?"

I shook my head.

"Honestly, baby, I can't. I mean, I know several women with long blond hair, but none of them would have any reason to do something like this." I was totally and completely puzzled. This was just getting more and more bizarre.

"Well, to be fair, it's also possible that maybe someone hired this mystery woman to do it for them. She might not necessarily be the one who instigated this, she may have just been paid to be the delivery person," Edward said, running a hand through his hair, mussing it further. "The good news is that hair can be a very helpful piece of evidence. If the follicle is still attached, we have DNA right there. It will be run through CODIS and-"

"What's that?" I interrupted.

"It's short for Combined DNA Index System. It's a databank. When someone is sent to prison, their DNA gets entered. And in most states, including Florida, if someone is arrested for a felony or violent crime, their DNA is taken along with their fingerprints, and it gets entered. So if we have DNA from a suspect, they will run it through CODIS and see if there's a match."

"What if the follicle isn't attached?"

"Well, it's not quite as good a piece of evidence, but it would be a tool to use for microscopic comparison if we end up with a suspect in mind. It can also tell us if they have drugs in their system, if they have certain medical issues or deficiencies. It's definitely a starting point, follicle or not. Unfortunately, like Eric said yesterday, things don't work in real life the way they do in cop movies, and it can take weeks to get the results back, depending on how back-logged the lab is and how many available technicians there are."

"So, it's a waiting game at this point?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. I'm sorry, angel. I wish there was more that could be done right now, but there just isn't. Everyone is doing their job, and a course of action has been set. They'll let us know when they find something and what the next step will be. And Eric also told me, in no uncertain terms," he said with a wry smile, "that I should be expecting a call from my captain."

"Why?"

"I'm not officially allowed to help on this case at all, given the personal relationship between you and I, and I'm sure he's going to be reminding me of that. Not that a Violent Crimes detective would normally work an animal cruelty case or auto burglary anyway, but when things get personal, people don't always make the right decisions. They take it upon themselves to do something if they feel the case isn't moving quickly enough."

"Well, you better not," I told him with a frown. "I don't want you getting in trouble."

"I won't," he assured me. "As frustrating as it is do know that someone out there did this to you, I know it will be handled properly."

Edward glanced at the clock on my nightstand and I did as well. It was just after seven-thirty.

"I need to get up," I said, stretching. "I have to meet with Alice to go over everything from the gala last night, and my Uncle Marcus is coming by at ten; he handles my investments and we meet monthly to assess them."

He nodded.

"I have a few things I gotta do this morning, but I'll be back to get you."

I grinned, so happy at the prospect of spending the weekend with this gorgeous man.

Edward rose and headed towards the bathroom to get changed, and I hit the button to open the black out blinds before throwing back the covers and climbing from bed. Sunlight spilled into my bedroom and I walked over to the windows, taking in the sight of my city.

I was still very disturbed by what had happened. But, after getting some sleep, I was more clearheaded and found myself quite angry that some sicko had the nerve to do what they did. Besides the fact two innocent animals had lost their lives, there was also the matter of breaking into my car and the bloody mess left behind. I loved my little Audi, but knew I'd never be able to drive it again without thinking about what happened. I would have to go car shopping soon. Maybe I'd get a zippy little SUV. Or a convertible. Or maybe-

Strong arms wrapped around me from behind, jarring me from my thoughts, and I leaned back against Edward's strong chest.

"There's coffee," he said, his lips against my temple.

I turned in his arms and looked up at him. His hair was damp and had been somewhat tamed, and I could see the shadow of his beard stubble glinting reddish gold in the sunlight. He smelled like toothpaste.

"How long have you been up?" I wondered.

"Well, I woke up around six, but didn't actually get out of bed until six-thirty. I made coffee and me and the girls enjoyed it out on the terrace."

I busted out laughing at that.

"Oh, you guys are besties now?"

He held up three fingers, tightly overlapping each other.

"We're like this."

I giggled

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and I happily melted into him. I felt his lips against the top of my head, so I tilted my face up to him and he pressed a kiss to my mouth.

"Mrs. Mavis makes killer banana muffins and I have some in the freezer," I said when we parted. "Can I interest you in breakfast before you leave?"

"You can interest me in _so_ many things, Ms. Swan. But, we can start with breakfast." He winked, and I shook my head at him.

"Meet me in the kitchen, loverboy."

Ten minutes later we sat next to each other at the bar in my kitchen, eating warmed muffins and drinking coffee. Edward had also washed and cut some strawberries while I'd been in the bathroom. It was a very tasty breakfast.

"How will you get your Jeep?" I asked as I put a few things in the dishwasher.

"Rose. She should be here soon."

"Give me just a few minutes and I'll walk you down," I told him, heading to my bedroom. I changed into a dark denim skirt, and a nude silky camisole tank with matching lacy shrug. My hair got pulled up into a quick bun, and I added just a little bit of makeup and a spritz of perfume.

When we got downstairs, I steered Edward towards the employee entrance to the parking lot. Just outside the doors, he stopped and took my hand, pulling me closer to him. We stepped over to stand underneath a tall, potted Queen palm. He faced me, both of my hands in his.

"I'll be back here at twelve to pick up you, okay?" His green eyes were so very warm as they met mine, and I smiled.

"I'll be ready. I'm really looking forward to just getting away from here. I know it might be a little unrealistic, but is it wrong that I want to be in a bubble right now? Can we concentrate on just the two of us for the rest of the weekend?" I asked hopefully.

"There's no one else I'd rather be in a bubble with," he answered with a smile, dipping his head to press a sweet kiss to my mouth. I sighed happily, opening my lips and pulling his tongue in. We kissed for long, blissful moments, unaware that someone was watching until a loud throat cleared.

"As much as I can see you're enjoying your breakfast, I brought your Jeep," an amused voice said. I jumped a little and pulled back, but Edward simply laughed and turned us around.

Rosalie Whitlock was gorgeous, no question about it. She was tall and slender with a killer body and the most beautiful violet eyes. Her blond hair was slicked back in a tight ponytail, and though I could see she didn't have a hint of makeup on, she had the most perfect, flawless skin. Her gaze was curious, but friendly, as she appraised me. Edward took the keys from her outstretched hand.

"For your information, we already had breakfast. That was just dessert," he said with a grin in my direction. "Bella, this is Rosalie. Rose, this is Bella."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Rosalie," I said. "I've heard a lot about you from Edward, and I'm already a huge fan of your work. His tattoos are just stunning."

"Thank you, Bella. It's nice to finally meet you as well." Her smile was warm.

"Thanks for bringing the Jeep, Rose. Do you need me to drop you somewhere?" Edward asked.

"No, uh, Emmett is actually going to give me a ride."

My eyebrows rose.

"My brother Emmett?"

"Yeah, he offered last night when I told him I'd most likely be bringing Edward his Jeep this morning."

"Oh. Well, that works out well then," I said with a smile.

I wasn't positive, but I think a faint blush climbed Rose's neck at my words.

"Yes. So, um, see ya, guys. It was nice meeting you, Bella, I really hope they catch the fucker that did that to you. Ed, Jazz said he'd catch up with ya later. Bye!"

And with that she tossed the keys at him and hurried away without a backwards glance. I looked up at Edward and he was watching her with amusement.

"Oh, she so has a crush on your brother," he said with a laugh.

"Well, if he offered to give her a ride then perhaps the feeling is mutual," I said. "You did say they looked pretty close last night, huh?"

"Yeah, they did. But, I don't want to talk about whether or not your brother and my friend have the hots for each other. What I do want to do," he said, lowering his head and nuzzling the side of my throat with his lips, "Is to remind you to pack an overnight bag. You're mine for the next, oh, thirty-six hours at least, Bella Swan."

I wanted to be his for much, much longer than that.

"And Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't think I've forgotten our phone call in New York. I'm looking forward to your . . . . re-telling."

I covered his mouth with mine, unable to not kiss him when he looked at me with such a deliciously wicked glint in his eye. Several long, hot minutes later, I finally pulled back.

"You have to go, or I'm never going to get everything done before you come back," I said with a groan.

He grinned and pressed another hard kiss to my mouth before striding to the Jeep and climbing in. With a wave and a honk, he drove away and I took several deep breaths, trying to calm my throbbing pulse. I had to pull myself together and deal with everything I needed to do to ensure I'd be ready for him at twelve.

_**We are getting closer, dear readers! Thank you all so much for continuing to read and review. I hope my little story brings a least a little bit of happiness in these uncertain times. **_


	12. Chapter 12

**Surprise! So, I hope this brings a smile to your faces, dear readers. I never post chapters so close together, but I feel that this can be an exception. Thank you to everyone who has continued to read and review my little story, this is just a little prize for y'all to show my appreciation and undying love :) Especially after the technical difficulties with the last chapter LOL. Also, I know the last few chapters have been sort of short, I hope this one makes up for that.**

**I think they've waited long enough, yes? **

BPOV

So what does one pack for a romantic, and hopefully sex-filled, weekend?

Pajamas? Yeah, no. I didn't imagine I'd have much use for them.

Some flirty lingerie, however? Hell, yes.

After considering the contents of my lingerie collection, I was happy with my choice. The silk babydoll was an icy blue color, trimmed in soft little black ruffles, with a deep V neckline and slits up each side. I was looking forward to modeling it for Edward at some point this weekend. Into my little red leather duffel bag it went, and I added a change of clothes for tomorrow, plus underwear and toiletries, then zipped it shut. I looked at the clock and found that it was just ten-thirty. I still had plenty of time before Edward was coming to get me.

During my meeting with Alice this morning, I'd been delighted to learn that the gala had raised almost forty-five thousand dollars for the shelters. I was so proud, but still sad to have missed it. The visit from my Uncle Marcus cheered me up, though, and we'd spent the time no only going over my investments but also just catching up with each other. He'd been appalled when he learned of the incident with the cats, but I assured him it was all being properly investigated. We'd parted with a hug and a promise to have dinner soon. He also informed me he was very much looking forward to meeting my Edward.

_My Edward._ I grinned as the words echoed in my head.

Now that my appointments were taken care of and my bag was packed, I turned my attention to getting showered and ready. A flit of excitement ricocheted in my stomach as I went through the pre-date ritual of washing, shaving, and exfoliating, followed by an application of my favorite peach lotion. Thankfully, I'd visited the spa with Alice recently, and my bikini wax was still nice and fresh. The small amount of hair was groomed into a neat triangle just above the cleft of my sex, while everything else was bare. I'd tried going completely Brazilian in the past, and then tried leaving a little 'landing strip', but I found I didn't care for it. I knew a lot of women preferred the totally naked option, but I liked seeing the little curling thatch of dark hair. There was something about it that made me feel more womanly and sexy. I wondered what Edward's preference was.

I quickly blow-dried my hair and pulled it up into a simple high pony tail, then added some makeup and a spritz of perfume. The sunny morning had turned into a slightly overcast midday, but it was still warm and humid, a typical autumn day in Florida, where the weather can change in a heartbeat. I chose an outfit that would be cool and comfortable; a cute handkerchief-style skirt that swirled just above my knees, the ombre pattern a mix of pinks and oranges, and a simple white tank that had a little bit of beading around the neckline. I slipped my feet into pink wedged sandals and transferred my necessities into my favorite little Louis Vuitton monogrammed crossbody.

There was still a few minutes before Edward was expected, so I tidied up a couple of things and lavished some attention on my girls, giving them lots of pets and some treats. They really were so spoiled, but they were mine and I loved them. I'd be utterly heartbroken if anything bad happened to either of them. Jake was going to feed them tonight in my absence, like he usually did.

At almost twelve o'clock on the dot, my intercom buzzed.

"Yes?"

"Hello, my angel."

Warmth immediately spread through me at the sound of Edward's voice.

"Jake letting you play with the intercom?" I asked with a giggle.

"Yep. I'll be up in a minute."

"Ok."

And it literally only seemed like one minute before my doorbell rang. I opened the door, and the sight that greeted me made my mouth water; Edward in slim, light khaki trousers and a short sleeve buttoned-down shirt that was pale green. A pair of black Ray Bans were hooked into the front of his shirt. His glorious ink was on display and I wanted to lick his arms.

"You look delicious," I blurted out without even meaning to. His eyebrows rose as he smiled and I felt a blush heat my cheeks. Damn verbal diarrhea.

"You're looking pretty edible yourself," he said, his green eyes roaming over me in a slow perusal. "And as much as I'd like to. . . _dig in_ right now, I feel like we're going to need some real food first."

"Lead the way." I said softly.

"Well, maybe just a taste. . ." He tugged me towards him and covered my mouth with his. I hummed in pleasure, immediately and eagerly accepting the warm, sinuous thrust of his tongue against my own. God, the man could fucking kiss.

Both of us breathing unsteadily when we finally parted. I opened my mouth to say something, but at that moment my stomach let loose with a growl. Edward busted out laughing.

"I was going to take you to my place to drop off your bag, but maybe we should just head straight to Armature."

"No," I protested. "I mean, yeah, I'm hungry, but let's drop my bag off first."

Truthfully, I was really excited to see his house; the only thing I knew was that he lived in South Tampa.

I locked up and he insisted on carrying my duffel bag, even though I protested. He simply raised an eyebrow at me and I gave in. He slung it over one shoulder, took my hand, and led me to the elevator.

*EotN

I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to Edward's home, but I was delighted when he pulled into the driveway of a beautifully restored, dove gray Craftsman style house. There was a wide, covered porch with white railing and pillars on each side of the steps. A large window was in front with a peaked skylight in the roof above it. White trim and darker gray accents completed the whole, charming look of the place.

"I love this!" I enthused, climbing from the Jeep without waiting for him to come around and help me. "When was it built? Did you do the reno yourself? How long have you lived here?"

Edward laughed, grabbing my bag from the back seat and then taking my hand and leading me up the front steps.

"Thank you. Nineteen sixty-eight, and yes, I did do a lot of it myself, though I had to hire out some things. I bought this place almost seven years ago, totally gutted it, and have been working on it ever since. It's been long and time-consuming, but I'm almost finished."

He opened the front door and we stood in a small foyer with a kitchen and dining area through a wide doorway to the left, a closed door to the right, and a living room straight ahead down a short hall. The décor had a lot of dark, masculine wood and clean lines, blues and grays being the main colors I saw.

"Show me around!" I requested, eager to explore.

Edward led me through his home, and I honestly loved it. There was gray marbled tile throughout, with a few large rugs covering it in places. His kitchen held stainless appliances and navy granite countertops, the cabinets stained a rustic gray. In the dining area was a charming nook with padded benches and a wide planked table the same color as the kitchen cabinets. The living room boasted high vaulted ceilings and there was a beautiful stone fireplace at one end. A couch, easy chair, and coffee table filled the rest, and a large flat screen TV was on one wall. He showed me the spare bedroom which he used as an office, as well as another empty room he was still working on. The drywall was unpainted and there was no furniture. He confessed he wasn't quite sure what would be going in there, but was leaning towards a home gym. There was a small bathroom, a utility room, and out back I could see a covered patio and small yard with a barbecue area, some outdoor furniture.

We arrived back at the front of the house and he opened a door across the foyer from the kitchen. It was the master bedroom. There was the large window and skylight I'd seen from outside; the cloudy daylight weakly illuminated a big, square sleigh bed the color of driftwood with a navy and white striped comforter. Nightstands and a tall dresser were the same colored wood, and through a doorway I could see the master bathroom.

I spun in a slow circle, taking a deep breath of pure, unadulterated Edward. The mouth-watering scent that I always associated with him was the strongest in here.

"I finally get it," I said.

"Get what?"

"At my place, in my bedroom, you said it smelled like me. And now I can definitely say with certainty, it smells like you in here."

"And what do I smell like?" he asked, echoing my words from days before.

"Well," I said, stepping closer and brushing my nose against his collarbone. "There's what I assume is your cologne, or possibly the body wash you use, and it's all yummy like limes and maybe cedar or some other woodsy smell." I took a deep breath. "Then there's also a clean scent, like laundry soap, but a little different." I slid my hands up the front of his shirt and he watched their ascent without saying a word. Slipping my fingers into the hair at the back of his head, I leaned up on my tiptoes and ran my nose across the side of his throat. "But then, like you said, there's another smell that I suspect is just _you. _And it's indescribably delicious. It makes me want to taste you all over." I couldn't help but gently tug on his earlobe with my teeth.

I heard him make a low sort of growling noise and then his lips covered mine. Our kiss was deep and thorough, tongues twisting, fingers grasping hold of whatever they could reach. His mouth seared me, hot and wet, as he pressed soft sucking kisses down the side of my neck, and I shuddered.

This time it was _his_ stomach that growled loudly and I broke away with a breathless laugh.

"We have to get out of here or we'll both pass out from hunger," he said with a grin.

"I agree. Feed me, Edward!"

*EotN

Armature Works was bustling and busy, like it always was on the weekends. Edward and I wandered around – hand in hand, to my delight - checking out all the offerings before we decided on what we wanted. Everything looked so good. We shared spicy chicken Karaage from the Japanese ramen shop, and a Mexican roll from the sushi bar. Then Edward claimed he needed a meatball sandwich from the pizzeria. I had a few bites and he demolished the rest. And if that weren't enough, he declared he was in the mood for something sweet, and bought a chocolate cupcake from the bakery. It had whipped caramel frosting and he talked me into taking a bite, even though I was full. It was rich and heavenly, and he happily finished it off. There was lots of kissing and laughing and talking and I adored every second spent in his company.

We finally ended up on the rooftop bar, sipping drinks under the cloudy skies. There were comfy double loungers scattered about and I cuddled up against him, filled with good food, my senses comfortably buzzed by his very closeness and the sangria I'd been drinking throughout our date. Edward stuck to beer, and only had two since he was driving. He'd switched to soda before the cupcake.

"This is amazing," I sighed happily.

"What is?" he asked, his fingers lightly tracing up and down my arm.

"Just everything. The food, this place, but mainly being here with you." I turned my head up to look at him. "Thank you, baby. You have managed to keep us in a bubble today, just like I was hoping."

He dropped a sweet kiss to my lips.

"I know we wanted to take a walk along the river, but judging from the look of those skies, that might not be on the agenda." He nodded towards the darkening clouds. The wind had picked up too, and I had a feeling that before too long we would be treated to one of Florida's infamous pop-up rainstorms.

"Hmmm, I think you're right." I drained the last of the sangria in my glass and set it on a nearby table. "I suppose we'll have to think of some _indoor_ activities for the rest of the day?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, trying to convey innocence, but knowing I failed when I saw the heat flare up in his green eyes. Oh God, just the intensity of his gaze had me throbbing, how the heck did he _do _that?

"Well, I did tell you I had some ideas," he said, lifting my hand to his mouth and gently biting the tip of my index finger. "I've been thinking about it an awful lot, you know."

"So have I," I whispered.

"Come on, angel. Let's get out of here."

I nodded and stood while he put some cash down on the table to cover our drinks. Edward took my hand and led me to the stairs, then out to the parking lot. We had just made it to his Jeep when big, fat, raindrops began to fall. Within seconds, the skies opened in a downpour that was loud on the roof as we drove.

Edward didn't have a garage, so we both got soaked as we made the mad dash from his driveway to the front door, laughing at our predicament. We dripped on his porch while he unlocked the door then ushered me inside. I shivered as the cool air conditioning hit my damp skin, and then jumped when a loud boom of thunder sounded. No lights had been left on and with the sky so dark from the storm, everything was in shadows. The only sound was the rain hammering down.

Edward turned to face me after re-locking the door, a crooked, rueful smile on his lips. My gaze dropped to where the wet shirt was plastered against his lean torso, clinging like a second skin. His hair was tousled and dripping, falling over his eyebrow, and the amusement on his face slowly faded as he watched me study him.

I was close enough to reach out and snag the top button of his shirt, popping it free before moving on to the next one. He stood completely still as I completed my task, and when all the buttons were free I pushed the two halves of wet cotton apart, revealing a firm chest, wide shoulders, and a hard stomach with a trail of soft, curling hair that led down to the waistband of his pants. There was more art on his skin; a large tattoo of a beautifully detailed pirate ship. It covered the right side of his rib cage and all the lines were done in black, but the mound of frothing, curling waves that it rode upon held streaks of blue. It was stunning, and I couldn't wait to see it in proper lighting, but my mind was definitely on things other than admiring Rosalie's handiwork.

I pushed the shirt off of his shoulders, and he dropped it to the floor as I laid my hands against his bare skin. It was so hot under my touch; damp and smooth, but _heated. _My palms glided up his chest, out over his shoulders and down his ink-adorned arms, then back again. He let me explore his body at my leisure and I took my time, tracing over ridges of muscle, areas of scar tissue, and patches of soft, silky hair.

"You're beautiful," I murmured, the first words either of us had spoken since we entered his house. His lips lifted in a small, somewhat bashful smile.

Lightning lit up the windows and was quickly followed by a crash of thunder, but here in this dark house, with this enigmatic man, I barely noticed. There was a different kind of storm brewing inside of me, and I felt pulsing electricity slide through my veins when Edward reached out and rested his hands on my hips, pulling me to him. Our mouths came together and I moaned when his tongue found mine, searching and tasting. His kisses were deep, unhurried, and so sweet. I never wanted to be without them ever again. I needed him like I needed oxygen.

Edward turned us so that I was up against the front door, our lips never letting go of each other. My arms wound around his neck and both of his hands dropped to cover my ass. I gasped into his mouth as those long fingers spread over me, squeezing and rubbing. I could feel his hard erection against my lower stomach, and I lifted one foot to wrap around his calf, urging him closer. He indulged me, pressing us together from chest to thigh. My nipples were tight and aching, and I craved his bare skin on mine, so I reached down and grabbed the hem of my tank top, intending to pull it up over my head, but Edward's hands stopped me.

"Oh, did you want to do that?" I asked dazedly as our mouths parted.

"Damn right I do," was his reply. "But not here, against the cold door. Come with me."

He took my hand and led me to his bedroom. Gray light came through the skylight, but the front blinds were closed, so the room was dim and shadowed. We stood next to his bed and Edward gathered my shirt in his hands, pushing it up slowly as our gazes remained on each other. When it had been lifted over my head and discarded to the floor, his hands returned to me, cupping both of my breasts within the white bra that I wore. My head fell back with a moan when he squeezed my nipples through the damp lace.

"Take it off," I whispered as his mouth ghosted down my neck and across my collarbone.

He fumbled for a second with the back clasp, but then the bra was pulled from my body and, oh my God, I was sure I'd ever felt anything as good as my bare breasts pressed tight to his firm chest. The soft hair there tickled, and I rubbed shamelessly against him, my nipples hardening even more from the stimulation.

"Fuck," he groaned before cupping one breast, lifting it, and lowering his head to pull my nipple into the liquid heat of his mouth. The tugging suction was rhythmic and deep, and I cried out when he bit me gently. "Jesus Christ, you're so perfect," he mumbled before turning his attention to my other breast, taking that one into his mouth while his fingers stayed busy with the first.

I was losing my fucking mind and we weren't even all the way naked yet.

My fingers tunneled into his hair, pulling the wet strands, scratching my nails on his scalp. He shuddered and then we were kissing again, desperately and frantically. His leg slipped between mine and I pressed myself to it eagerly, the thin layers of my skirt and panties a barely-there barrier. Because of the wedged sandals I still wore, the height difference perfectly lined my aching pussy up with his strong thigh, and I moaned loudly at the delicious pressure.

"I can feel how hot you are," Edward said huskily, his teeth latching onto my neck. "God, so fucking hot."

I lowered a hand down to the curve of his ass and pulled him tighter to me, spreading my legs wider, needing more of him. I felt his hand at my knee and then it was pushing my skirt up out of the way and curling around my hip, pressing me more firmly onto his thigh. His fingers slid under the edge of my underwear, digging into the naked skin of my cheek, and I whimpered as I rolled my hips harder against him. I knew I could come like this; everything was building inside of me, all of the pent-up desire I'd harbored for him for so long, and he was applying pressure in just the _exact right _spot. My clit was throbbing, and I could feel how slippery-wet I'd become.

"Edward," I moaned, my back arching. My hips found a rhythm on their own, and he encouraged me, a strong hand guiding me to rock back and forth, his leg pushing up harder.

"Mmmm, that's it, angel," he praised, his other hand lifting to cup my breast and tease my nipple. "If you need this right now then let it happen, let me feel it."

The friction was just too much, and I felt it rush towards me; that blinding, aching pleasure that made me throb and quiver. Our eyes met, locked, and then I shattered, squeezing him hard, my breathless cries blending with the sound of the rain pounding down.

My legs felt like jelly, and I was grateful that he was holding me up, cradled to his chest. I felt him kiss my cheeks and forehead, then my lips, and I gradually came back to earth..

"You're so fucking gorgeous," he said into my mouth. "Watching you come apart like that is the hottest thing I've ever seen. Better than I ever imagined."

"You make me feel so good, Edward." I replied, biting his lower lip. "I want to make you feel good, too."

I dropped one hand down to wrap around the erection that was straining against the front of his pants. He groaned as I stroked the length, rubbing up and down. Our mouths met in another kiss, and his fingers gathered the material of my skirt, bunching it up, tracing the edge of my underwear. I pulled back from him, first kicking off my sandals, then I slid the skirt down over my hips and stepped out of it, leaving me in only white panties that were very small and very wet.

Edward toed off his shoes the same time his hands went to his belt, swiftly unfastening it. In short order his pants were gone, and he stood before me in only a pair of snug navy boxer-briefs that did absolutely nothing to hide the impressive bulge of his dick. I dipped my fingertips under the waistband at his hipbone, then slid it around and filled my hand with the tight curve of his ass. My lips found their way across his shoulder, and I kissed the firm muscles of his chest, my tongue tasting the delicious salty-sweet of his warm skin. I licked his flat nipple and then dropped to my knees to kneel before him.

Looking up at Edward as I rubbed my palms up the front of his thighs, I found his green eyes watching me intently. Even in the dimness of the room I could see the heat in them.

"Is this one of the things you've thought about, angel?" His voice was raspy and low.

"This is my very _favorite _thing to think about," was my completely truthful reply. Slowly, oh so slowly, I slid the waistband down.

Always a girl who could appreciate a great-looking cock, I could say with certainty that Edwards was one of the finest specimens I'd had the pleasure of encountering; smooth and thick with a flushed, swollen head that I could barely wait to wrap my lips around. His dark reddish pubic hair was surprisingly silky, and tidily trimmed. All in all, he was one delicious package.

Edward kicked his underwear away from his feet and toyed with my ponytail, wrapping it gently around his fist. His grip tightened when I finally gave into my urge and licked the generous length of his cock with one long stroke. When I reached the head, I opened my lips and took him in, moaning at the feel, the taste, the _reality_ of finally being able to do what I'd been aching to.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," he groaned softly. "Jesus, that's so good."

The satin-smooth flesh in my mouth was hot and solid, and I cupped his heavy balls in one hand; rolling, weighing, and gently squeezing. I sucked him with longing, bobbing my head slowly, and he guided me with the hand wrapped in my hair, standing perfectly still as I took as much of his cock into my mouth and throat as I could, relaxing to let him go deeper. He hissed and then gently thrust a few times, before slowly pulling from my mouth. I let him go with a pout.

"I want you in my bed," he murmured, reaching down to help me to my feet. "I've _dreamed _of you in my bed, Bella."

I turned and climbed onto that very bed, laying back on the pillows at his headboard. His heady scent completely enveloped me.

"Like this? Did you dream of me like this, Edward?"

"Fuck, yes," he said, joining me. He knelt at my feet. "Will you take your hair down?"

I pulled the elastic from my ponytail and spread the long strands out across his pillows. Edward edged closer, grasping my ankles and moving them apart to kneel between them. His hands slowly slid up my shins, my thighs, until his thumbs brushed my hipbones. He curled his fingers into the waistband of my panties and pulled them down and off my legs, leaving me completely naked to his gaze.

"God, I want to taste you, Bella," he said huskily. "I need to find out just how sweet that beautiful pussy is."

"Yes," I whispered. His words had my body positively throbbing, and I was suddenly desperate for the feel of his mouth on me.

He laid down and situated himself with my legs over his broad shoulders, then lowered his head. I trembled at the first velvety-wet caress of his hot tongue upon my still-sensitive clit. He was gentle; licking and lapping, pressing tender kisses that drove me crazy. Even though I'd came just a short while ago, I felt myself chasing the ecstasy again, knowing he was going to give me so much more. My fingers combed through Edward's hair as he pushed my bliss higher and higher, and I jerked when his lips closed around my swollen clit and softly sucked. Tingles of delight shot straight through my womb, but at the same time I was acutely aware of an emptiness there that needed to be _filled_ with him.

"So, so sweet, just like I knew you'd be," he whispered against the crease of my thigh, swiping his tongue along the skin there.

"Baby, please," I begged. "It's all amazing, but you really need to fuck me now_. _I want to feel you all the way inside."

He pressed another soft, lingering kiss to my sex and then rose to his knees, his hard erection jutting proudly. I couldn't help but reach my hand out and capture it, slowly jacking the smooth skin up and down. Edward tilted his head back and sighed.

"If you don't stop that, I won't make it inside you," he said, and I regretfully let him go, watching as he grabbed a condom from the nightstand. He rolled it on quickly and re-settled himself between my open thighs. Our mouths met in a tender kiss, and I could taste my arousal on his lips. I felt him slide through my wetness, once, and then again, coating himself, before his cock entered me in a long, smooth stroke.

I arched beneath him, the exquisite fullness taking my breath away for a moment. His mouth moved to the side of my throat and I felt his harsh exhale wash heat over my skin.

"Are you okay?" he asked and I could only nod. He shuddered and surged into me, deep and slow, over and over, and it was everything I needed, all the things I wanted. He was mine and I was his and it was sublime. I wrapped my legs around his lean hips, catching his rhythm and matching it.

"Fuck," he moaned, and it was the sexiest thing I'd ever heard in my life. "You feel so fucking good, Bella."

"Mmmm, so do you, baby," I whispered as he sank into me again and again, the push and pull of his cock just _so perfect._ My hands slipped up his biceps and over his shoulders, hanging onto him as his thrusts became more forceful and his pace quickened. "Jesus . . . Yes, just like that. . ."

Edward's face was beautiful, tight and fierce as he fucked me harder, chasing our euphoria. He lifted up slightly, changed the angle, and all of a sudden the alignment was ideal for his pubic bone to rub against my clit while the thick head of his cock dragged across the sweet spot deep inside me. That perfect meeting of flesh sparked an electric current that sizzled its way through my very blood, and I squeezed him tighter between my thighs.

"Right there, right there, right there," I chanted breathlessly. "Oh, y-yes, Edward, oh God, G-God. . ."

"Give it to me, angel," he urged roughly. "Let me fucking have it, let me feel it."

White hot ecstasy streaked through my whole body and I came spectacularly, crying out in pleasure. My pussy milked him with quivering contractions and Edward threw his head back and groaned, thrusting forcefully once more before he shuddered and jerked, his cock pulsating inside me.

We both were breathing rapidly, and when I felt his arms begin to tremble with the effort of holding his weight off of me, I pulled him down onto my chest, cradling him there. He was heavy, but in the best possible way. I could feel our hearts hammering between us, and I pressed kisses to his forehead. After a little while, he raised his head to meet my eyes. His were so, so tender in the dark room.

"And I thought you were good in my dreams," I told him breathlessly. "Nothing in my imagination even held a candle to that."

He laughed, then leaned in to kiss me.

"Angel, we're just getting started."

**So, yeah. I need to tell y'all that when I first started putting the vague outline of this story together in my head, this is where I began. At that point, I had no idea what would be involved in bringing them to the moment. But the scene of them dashing through the rain, entering the dark house, thunder booming and lightning crashing, clothes dripping, laughter turning to something else? Yeah, it's been with me the whole entire time, playing over and over in my head. There's just something about a Florida rainstorm, I suppose. Now, don't be getting all spoiled about this posting so quickly, that's not gonna happen again anytime soon. LOL But I love y'all and wanted to give this to those who have been waiting ever so patiently. Please let me know your thoughts.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello, my lovelies. I do hope this update finds everyone safe. Please be careful, dear readers. Sorry it's taken so long to get you this chapter, but life is a bit hectic at the moment.**  
**So, there were some sexy times last chapter. I think Bella and Edward are both feeling pretty pleased :) Let's see what they're up to.**

Chapter 13.

"Angel, we're just getting started."

"Is that right?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

Edward nodded, his hand lifting to comb through my hair that was spread across the pillow.

"Absolutely. Just give me a second, and then we'll continue this conversation."

He slipped from my body and I winced just a little bit, certain areas still hypersensitive.

"Are you sore?" he asked, concern evident on his face. I shook my head.

"No, just thoroughly fucked. And it was glorious, so thanks for that."

He shook his head at me, grinning, then rose from the bed and headed towards the bathroom. I watched his tight ass as he walked away, wanting to bite that deliciously firm muscle. My arms rose above my head and I stretched my whole body with a satisfied groan. My muscles felt warm and well-used, my nerves still buzzing with the remnants of the intense orgasms he'd given me.

Making love with Edward had far surpassed my fantasies. He was passionate and generous, naughty with his dirty words. He drove me to the highest peaks of pleasure I'd ever experienced, and I already wanted him back in my arms.

Just then, the rain apparently decided it was time to move along, because a beam of afternoon sunlight beat down through the skylight above. The little window was angled to not shine directly at the head of the bed, thankfully, and I smiled as I watched the buttery glow illuminate the bedroom around me. Edward returned from the bathroom at that moment, and I sat up and held my hand out to stop him from getting back in bed.

"Wait!"

He stopped and raised an eyebrow, unsure of what I wanted.

"Just stay there," I requested, climbing to my knees and crawling across the bed to get closer to where he stood by the side. I knelt there, uncaring of my own nakedness.. Now that daylight had came into the bedroom, my eyes traveled hungrily over his bare form. I hadn't had a chance to really appreciate his masculine beauty when everything had been so dark from the storm. But now? Oh, sweet Jesus. He was fucking stunning. Those broad shoulders and firm biceps, his hard stomach. All of the artwork that adorned his body. I licked my lips and reached my fingers out to trace along the billowing sails of the pirate ship. The design was quite intricate.

"This is fantastic," I said softly. "Is there a story behind this one?"

He smiled, looking down at the ink.

"Not one particular story, no. Just a love of local history, and I've always thought big ships like this one were awesome. This tattoo was actually the one I was most indecisive about, until Rose showed me the drawings she'd came up with. I immediately loved it. And, ironically, she completed it during Gasparilla two years ago."

I laughed.

"How perfect. An amazing pirate ship tattoo created during the yearly pirate invasion."

"Can I get back in bed, now?" he asked with a cheeky smirk, and I nodded happily, moving back to make room. We snuggled under the comforter and it was just heavenly. I was drowsy and relaxed and Edward softly stroking my back was not helping matters. I let out a big yawn, and he leaned down and kissed me.

"Tired?"

"Mmmm a little. You were quite. . . vigorous, Detective. I'm worn out."

"Then have a nap, because I have plans for you and you're going to need your energy."

"Oh, I like the sound of that," I murmured, pressing my lips softly to the warm skin of his shoulder, already drifting off to sleep.

*EotN

When I awoke, I was alone in the big bed. I looked around, but Edward was nowhere to be seen. I felt refreshed after my nap and a glance at my watch told me why. I'd slept for almost an hour and a half! Stretching out muscles that were pleasantly fatigued, I snuggled down into the yummy blankets, idly wondering what actually made them smell so good. That very fragrance, along with his citrusy-woodsy deliciousness, was what delighted my senses every time I was close to him.

Edward entered the bedroom just then, smiling when he saw I was awake. He looked adorably rumpled, with his hair sticking up all over, wearing only a pair of track pants that sat low on his hips.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty," he said, climbing back into bed with me. He lounged on his side, leaning on one elbow.

"Why does your bed smell so good?"

"You think my bed smells good?"

"Mm hmm. It's yummy."

"_You're_ yummy," he stated, kissing me sweetly. "As for the bed, well, I do have a secret. If I tell you, you have to solemnly swear not to reveal it to anyone."

I giggled and made the motion of crossing my heart. He took a deep breath, his face oh-so-serious.

"It's the sprinkles."

"Excuse me?" I said with a laugh.

"You know, the little sprinkle things you put in the washing machine with the soap?" I nodded, because there was a container of the scent-boosters in my laundry room at home. "I like the ones in the green bottle. My mom told me about them and I always use them when I wash the sheets and blankets," he confided, his expression bashful but also proud.

"Your secret is safe with me," I assured him. Could he be any cuter?

"Although," he continued, reclining down to lay his head on the pillow next to me, his eyes catching mine. "Right now it smells better than usual. Because it also smells like you. And me. It smells like _us._"

"I like us," I murmured, tracing my fingertip along his bottom lip. He nibbled on my skin.

"I do, too."

His mouth touched mine and he kissed me so tenderly, gentle and soft. His hand slid down my back and pulled me in tighter, but his kisses remained light and adoring. My fingers played with the strands of hair above his ear, before stroking down his side burn.

"Edward?" I spoke quietly, our lips still brushing.

"Yeah?" His voice was as hushed as mine.

"Do you remember our date at Cheney's? When I told you that everything was different with you?"

"I remember."

"It still is. And I don't know why, and I don't know how to explain it. Making love with you was better than anything I've dreamed, and I'm so happy to be exactly right here." I needed him to know how much he was coming to mean to me; our physical union had only strengthened everything I already felt for him.

He kissed me again, his lips lingering there before he spoke.

"I'm completely falling for you, Bella Swan. Nothing in my life has ever felt so perfect." His soft declaration made my heart thump inside my chest, and I grinned.

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely. I was pretty much a goner by the time you offered me dessert. And it was delicious, but not as delicious as you, angel."

Well, really, when he said things like that, how was I supposed to keep my hands off of him?

*EotN

"Are you hungry?" Edward asked, his fingers combing through my hair.

"Surprisingly, yes. I do seem to have worked up an appetite," I replied, stretching my body and then snuggling back against him. Our second round of lovemaking had been sweet and slow, playful and tender. He'd entered me as we laid face to face, my leg thrown over his hip, and when my orgasm washed over me, deep and languid, his mouth had absorbed my breathless cries.

Edward was now spooned up against my back, his big body warming me from head to toe.

"Although, a shower is also pretty tempting right now, too," I mused. "I think I've worked up a sweat along with my appetite."

"Well, we could order in some food and take a shower while we wait for it. There's a great little Italian place, if you're in the mood for something like that."

"Mmm, yes, please." I licked my lips. Some pasta sounded ideal at the moment.

And so, that's how I found myself in Edwards shower a little while later, running my soapy hands over his body. He took his turn washing me, and my head fell back with a moan as his strong fingers massaged the lather into my shoulders.

"You keep making those noises and I'm gonna forget all about the fact that we don't have time for this, because the food will be here soon," he said, and I could feel the firm press of his now-hard cock against the base of my spine as I stood in front of him.

"I can't help it if it feels good, you're the one doing it!" I accused.

"I'll show you _doing it_ later, after we eat. In the meantime, I think I need to get out of here before you distract me completely."

I giggled as he rinsed a final time and then stepped from the shower enclosure, giving me a wink before he closed the frosted glass door. God, he was so fucking sexy.

After finishing my shower and drying off, I pulled on a pair of panties and then realized I hadn't packed any sort of lounging clothes. I'd laughed to myself at the idea of pajamas, but now I was wishing I'd thought to bring some. I didn't want to break out the sexy lingerie quite yet, that was to surprise him later, not to eat dinner in. I just wanted to be comfortable.

I stared down in vexation at the contents of my duffle bag, and that's how Edward found me a few moments later.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I didn't bring any spaghetti-eating clothes." I huffed with annoyance and he laughed, crossing the room to a tall dresser and opening the middle drawer. He pulled something out and then crooked a finger at me. I took my time closing the distance between us, admiring him in his loose gray jogging pants and navy t-shirt. When I stood in front of him, he looked down at the knot between my breasts, the one securing my towel around me, then he slowly tugged it free. We both watched it fall to the floor. Edward's gaze roamed over my mostly naked body, starting at my toes then traveling up and over every part of me before his eyes met mine. I stood still for his perusal, feeling my skin heat.

"As much as it pains me to cover up such beauty," he finally said, "The food will be here any minute."

He slipped something over my head and it turned out to be an old USF t-shirt, one that had been washed countless times and was worn velvety soft, the vibrant green now faded. It fell to my mid-thighs.

"Would you like some wine?" he asked and I nodded.

He was just opening a bottle of Pinot Noir when the doorbell rang. I took over pouring the wine while he went to get the food, and before too long we were seated at the awesome little nook in his dining area. Amazing smells were coming from the various containers, and my mouth watered as we unwrapped everything. There was cheese ravioli and spaghetti with meatballs, as well as salad and bread. Edward had also ordered a generous slice of milk chocolate cheesecake, that particular restaurant's signature dessert. I was coming to find out that not only did he have a heck of a sweet tooth, Edward could _eat. _I was sure his appetite rivaled Emmett's, although my brother was a much larger man who probably outweighed Edward by fifty pounds and stood inches taller than him.

The food was all delicious, and I finished off three of the homemade raviolis, two meatballs, and a scoop of pasta, as well as some Italian salad and buttered baguette. Edward took care of the rest. We talked throughout the meal, and it still thrilled me that our conversations were just so easy, naturally flowing from one topic to the next. Afterwards, I helped him clean up the empty containers, then we poured some more wine and grabbed the cheesecake before making our way to the living room. We settled down into his deep and comfortable leather couch, and Edward wasted no time opening the box that held the dessert. He offered me a forkful.

"Oh my gosh, I don't know if I have any room after that pasta," I said, rubbing my belly.

"Just a bite," he cajoled. "You've never tasted anything like this."

Obediently, I opened my mouth and took the proffered treat. It was luscious; silky, chocolaty heaven, and I moaned at the flavor.

"Holy shit, that's really good," I murmured, licking my lips.

"It's the best," Edward confirmed, taking a big bite. He chewed happily, making me smile.

I ate two more forkfuls and then told him to finish the rest. It was delicious, but very rich, and I knew if I had much more I'd regret it. Edward had no such qualms, practically licking the plate when it was done and I giggled at him.

"I can't believe you can eat so much but you don't have a spare pound of fat on you anywhere," I marveled. "You've easily had at least twice the amount of food I have today, and I swear if there was another piece of cheesecake you'd eat that, too!"

He shrugged, grinning.

"I've always been able to. I think I have one of those weird metabolisms; I was really skinny as a kid, and now I exercise almost every day. There's a gym at HQ that I use, or I'll go for a run and do strength training. Pushups, situps, ya know. Eventually I'll get that home gym set up, but in the meantime I do the best I can."

I sat back with my glass of wine, studying the gorgeous human being that I'd been lucky enough to spend the day with. Seeing more and more of his personality emerge every time that we were together made me so happy. He intrigued me, simply put. And I wanted to learn everything I could about him.

"Feel like playing a little round of Twenty Questions?" I asked, my eyebrow raised. "I've been thinking of some good ones."

"Oh, really, Ms. Swan? Well, I did say that I'd tell you anything you wanted."

"Yep. You said all I had to do was ask. But, to be fair, you get to ask me questions, too."

He pretended to ponder my offer, finally holding his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, alright. I suppose if I try hard enough I can think of some stuff that I'd be okay with knowing about you. If I must."

"You must," I told him, throwing a pillow at him.

"Okay, okay, fine. Ask me your first question."

I already knew which one it would be.

"How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

"Really? _That's_ the question you've been dying to know?"

"Hey, you don't get to question my questions!" I argued. "You only get to answer them."

"I was nineteen."

"Really?"

"Why the tone of surprise?"

"Well, it's just, you're so good looking. At least I think so, and I imagine as a teenager you were surrounded by pretty girls. I'm thinking you had plenty of opportunities."

"Oh, how wrong you are, angel." He stood and crossed the room to a book shelf, pulling down a photo album. He flipped through it before finding the page he wanted and then turned it around to show me. "Definitely _not_ a lot of opportunities."

"No way! Is that you?" I asked with a laugh and he nodded

I was looking at a picture of Edward around the age of thirteen or fourteen, grinning at the camera while holding up a sizable fish with both hands. He had a mouth full of braces, a dreadful case of teenage acne, and his hair was a brighter red back then, fuzzy and wild. He was so, so skinny, his arms and legs stick-thin in shorts and a t-shirt.

"You were actually quite adorable," I told him. "I love this smile."

"I was very proud of that snook. It was bigger than any of the ones my dad and Uncle Felix caught. But, as you can see, I was far from what you would call a 'chick magnet'. This was taken when I was fourteen. Three years later the braces came off, I got a prescription for Accutane, and started trying to bulk up with some muscle." He flipped to another page. "This is my senior graduation picture."

The difference was kind of shocking. This picture showed a more youthful version of the man beside me; the smile was the same, the hair darker and shorter, and only faint traces of the red-headed adolescent remained.

"I bet the girls sure started noticing you then," I said with a raised eyebrow and he smirked.

"Oh, they did. It was kind of bizarre, actually. Girls who didn't even know I existed before were coming up to me and I had no clue how to respond. I was pretty shy back then, with a small group of good friends like Tanya and Ben and Angie. I just remember being so weirded out. It wasn't until college that I actually started dating."

"And who was the lucky lady that cashed your V-card?"

"Does this count as another question?"

"Yes."

"Then I get to ask you two in a row."

"Okay, fine."

"Her name was Katie. We met my freshman year at USF, she was a year older. We became friends first, didn't start dating until the next year. A couple of weeks after our first date, her parents threw her a big birthday party at a hotel and afterwards she and I ended up in a room of our own. I was a virgin, but she wasn't. We had a lot of fun, but it wasn't a super serious relationship. We were together for about six months and then we kind of just drifted, both of us got really busy with school, and her parents went through a divorce, there was a lot of stuff going on. No major, dramatic breakup or anything. I haven't seen her in a long time, I think she moved out of state after college."

"So are you telling me that I have this Katie to thank for your stellar performances earlier?" I asked, sipping my wine. Edward laughed, before getting up and putting the photo album away.

"Well," he said as he sat back down next to me, "Like I said, we had a lot of fun together. I'd say she taught me a few things."

"I bet you were an eager student."

"I was indeed. But, enough about me, Bella. It's my turn to ask the questions."

"Fire away."

"I suppose it's only fair that I get to hear about your first time. How old were you?"

"Sixteen. God, I was so young, when I think about it now."

"And him?"

"Peter Mackinaw." I smiled as I remembered. "His parents and my parents were friends, they moved in the same circles, so we saw each other every so often at functions that I was allowed to attend. He was the same age as me, and was actually a very nice boy. He's a lawyer now, I think. Anyway, the summer I was sixteen, our families went on a rare vacation together to Mexico. We stayed at a big rented villa for two weeks. Emmett didn't come, he was busy with his own friends from college, so it was just Peter and I and our parents. One night, we started fooling around, which we'd never done before. He was actually the first boy I ever even kissed. A few nights later, he snuck into my room and one thing led to another. He was very sweet, but it wasn't mind-blowing or anything," I recalled with a laugh. "He was a virgin as well, so it was kind of awkward, neither of us really knew what we were doing. After we got back home, we dated for a while, but we were both so young. I wasn't heartbroken when it was over."

"I imagine you were the prettiest little thing at sixteen," Edward said with a smile, running a finger down the side of my face.

"I'll show you pictures, sometime. I have a few albums at home, too."

"I'd love to see them." Edward leaned in and kissed me softly, his tongue seeking mine. He tasted like chocolate and I sucked on his bottom lip, gently biting.

"I think we can be done with Twenty Questions for now," I told him.

"Ok, but I reserve the right to re-visit them at a later time."

"There's something else I'd rather re-visit right now. It involves a phone call that took place a couple of days ago."

His eyes flared hot at my words. Oh yes, he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"You remember the deal we made, don't you, baby?" I asked. He nodded silently, one eyebrow quirked.

"Give me about two minutes, Detective. Then come and find me, and we'll work out the. . . finer details of that deal." I kissed him once more and then stood from the couch and made my way to his bedroom. I quickly grabbed what I needed from my overnight bag and then headed for the bathroom, closing the door. I smiled as I looked at the sexy little babydoll.

This was going to be fun.

**Fun indeed! Oh, she has some plans for her man. I'd love to know your thoughts! Take care until next time, lovelies!**


	14. Chapter 14

**_Hello, lovely readers! I love and adore all of the reviews for my little fic and I'm dreadfully sorry I've been so terrible at answering them, but when I've had a spare minute I've been writing instead of answering and I hope you'll be forgiving. Now let's see. . Bella has some plans, if I'm not mistaken._**

EPOV

Bella disappeared into my bedroom and I rested my head against the back of the couch, closing my eyes and letting out a long breath. I said it before and I'll say it again; she was going to be the death of me. But, like that Thomas Rhett song said, I would die a happy man.

After a moment, I stood and went through the nightly routine of checking to make sure all the doors were locked, setting the alarm, and hitting the remote for the Jeep as well. I put the wineglasses in the sink, but my mind wasn't on the tasks at all, it was utterly and completely fixated on the fucking gorgeous woman currently occupying my house. Had it been two minutes yet? I was sure the answer was yes.

When I entered my bedroom, I didn't see Bella, but the bathroom door was mostly closed and light glowed from behind it, so I assumed she was in there.

"Edward?" her voice called a moment later.

"Yes, angel?"

"I'd like for you to strip down to your underwear and get on the bed, if you please."

Grinning, I did as she asked, stopping first to grab a condom from the nightstand drawer, before situating myself comfortably against the headboard with pillows. The door to the bathroom opened a few seconds later and I almost swallowed my tongue at the sight that greeted me.

Bella stood in the open doorway and she was wearing a little blue something that clung to all of her delicious curves. Her luscious tits spilled from the low neckline and I could see the hard points of her nipples through the shiny fabric. Black ruffles splashed across her upper thighs and high slits went almost to her hipbones, showing off the smooth legs that I really wanted to feel wrapped around me again. She was fucking stunning, and my cock pulsed in agreement.

"Were you on the bed during that phone call, Edward?" she asked softly.

"No, the couch."

"Well, we'll just have to pretend then."

She walked closer and climbed onto the bed, situating herself on her knees down by the end. Her legs were spread and the slits in her little gown fell open, the material puddling between her thighs and shielding the gorgeous pussy I was already addicted to. I wanted to devour it again and again, feel the slick pink skin rub against my mouth, then envelop my cock.

"So, I was in a bathtub in New York City," Bella began. She reached up with one hand and pinched her nipple. "And I was doing this while I talked to you. Well, actually, it was more like this." She pushed a strap down, baring one beautiful breast, then squeezed and rubbed her nipple. "And what were you doing while we talked, Edward?"

"Well, first I was just enjoying our conversation. Until you told me you were in the bathtub."

"And then?" She pinched her nipple harder, biting her lip with a little sigh.

"Then I couldn't stop imagining you all fucking naked and wet." I reached a hand down and grasped the erection that tented the front of my underwear. "And, I got so hard thinking about you like that. So while we were talking, I pulled out my cock and started stroking it. Like this." I pushed the waistband down and freed my aching dick, jacking it slowly while studying Bella's reaction. She licked her lips as her eyes followed the movement of my hand. Knowing she was watching me made it all the hotter, and I squeezed my shaft more firmly.

Bella lowered the other strap of her gown and it fell to her waist, both of her beautiful tits now bared to me. She cupped them in her palms, squeezing. God, they were perfect; round and soft with puffy, pouty, nipples that I wanted to bite and suck.

"I couldn't use both hands like while I was talking to you," she said a bit breathlessly. "But, I believe that's when I sent you the picture."

"Yes, it was. And you looked so fucking sexy, but I wanted to see more. I wanted to see those," I admitted, twisting the head of my cock between my fingertips, feeling a bead of moisture escape.

"These?"

"Your tits."

"Mmmm."

Bella rose on her knees and edged closer, straddling my shins. Soft lace brushed across my skin and I shivered. The heat coming from her body was incredible, and if she lowered herself just a little bit, that hot little heaven between her thighs would be resting on me. But she remained on her knees, just out of reach.

"Did you think about sucking these, baby?" she asked, licking one finger and then rubbing it across her nipple. It was tight and puckered and I wanted it in my mouth.

"Fuck, yes, I did."

"You told me I was gorgeous, you made me _feel_ gorgeous with your words." She trailed one hand down, past where the sexy little gown was pushed around her waist. Her fingers rubbed over her thigh and then slid beneath the ruffled slit and out of sight. I groaned.

"You're killing me, angel. Please let me see."

"Keep stroking your cock, Edward. Did you do it like that while we were talking?"

"Uh-huh, just like this." My hand moved with more purpose, and I couldn't remember ever being this turned on in my life. Her naughty little streak was fucking splendid, but this teasing was driving me crazy.

"Do you want to see what I was doing?"

"Yes."

She pulled the material to the side, so that I could see her fingers rubbing and circling her clit. As I watched, she slid one finger inside that sweet fucking pussy. My breath stuttered and all I could think about was how completely jealous I was of the small digit.

"You decided not to ask the question, but I was definitely touching myself," she whispered as she continued to slide that one finger in and out ever so slowly, gently fucking herself.

"You know I wanted to," I said roughly. "I wanted to hear all about it, hear all of those fucking sexy sounds that now I know you make."

"I could have came so easily," she confessed. "Hearing your voice, touching myself, it was all so good." She withdrew her finger and then rubbed the wetness over first one nipple and then the other. I knew without a doubt the next time my mouth was wrapped around that pink little nub, it would taste like her pussy, and the thought made me moan.

"Bella, I can't take much more of this," I told her. My cock was desperately hard in my hand as I rubbed and stroked.

"Don't come yet, Edward," she said. "Hold on just a little bit longer."

She pulled the lingerie over her head and dropped it on the bed next to me, then crawled further up my body until she was straddling my thighs. Her hands pushed mine aside and she took hold of my cock, her fingers trailing over the length and circling the head, teasing and light.

"After we hung up, do you know what I was thinking about while I touched myself?" she asked, her eyes meeting mine.

"What?"

"You, stroking your cock. I was thinking about how sexy you'd look while you did it. And I was wondering if you were thinking about me." She settled more firmly onto my thighs, and the wet of her pussy branded my skin, slippery and scorching. She opened her legs wider and I could see her clit peeking from between those luscious lips, flushed and swollen. The enticing little patch of dark hair was beckoning to me, and I remembered what it felt like rubbing across my nose while I'd feasted on her meltingly soft sex. My eyes rolled back in my head as she scooted up and slid her pussy along the length of my dick, forward and back. I wasn't inside her yet, but I was fucking _surrounded _by her soaking heat and it was indescribably good.

"Were you thinking about me, Edward?" Bella asked breathlessly, now reaching down to rub the head of my cock against her clit. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sight.

"God, yes," I growled, groping blindly in the blankets beside me until my hand closed around the condom I'd gotten earlier. She took it from me and ripped it open with her teeth.

"What were you thinking?" She rolled the latex down over my length with both hands.

"How badly I wanted to fuck you, how I wanted to see your lips wrapped around my cock, how much I wanted to eat your pussy, all the ways I was gonna make you scream." I may have been babbling, but it was the honest truth. I'd thought about all of those things when I brought myself to orgasm that night.

Bella leaned down until her lips were at my ear.

"I'm here _now_. Make me scream _now,_" she whispered.

I lifted her hips and impaled her slowly with my achingly hard dick. She moaned, long and loud, as I slid inside her heat. I was vaguely aware of her teeth sinking into my shoulder.

"Jesus, so fucking good," I grunted, my fingers digging into her skin. She sat up, taking me even deeper into her body, and I think I went blind for a second.

"Mmmmm, Edward," she sighed, and her head fell back as she rocked and writhed in a slow, rolling rhythm. Her tits swayed in front of me and the temptation was just too much. I leaned forward and pulled those Bella-flavored nipples into my mouth, one at a time, sucking them clean.

She tasted like exotic honey, dark and sweet.

"Oh yes, baby," she whimpered. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

I filled both of my hands with her delectable ass and squeezed the soft flesh as she rode my cock. She grabbed the top of the headboard behind me, and I could hear the slap of our bodies connecting in perfect cadence; each of her downward rolls met my upward thrusts perfectly. For long moments we simply lost ourselves in each other, in the slick glide of our bodies, against and within the other.

Bella's breathless sighs rose in volume, the movement of her hips now more purposeful. I could feel small tremors in her thighs as she gripped me tighter.

"Are you gonna come, angel?" I asked, trying to hold back an orgasm that was threatening to rip through me like a freight train.

"Y-yes," she breathed, now bouncing on me with abandon. I could see my cock, glistening and wet, each time she rose up. As I watched her body engulf it over and over, I knew I wouldn't be able to last much longer, but I really did want to make her scream. So I reached for her clit with one hand, rubbing and pressing while she fucked me.

"Oh. . .fuck. . .yes. . .Edward," she panted, her movements becoming faster and frantic. Her tits were jiggling and she let go of the headboard to cup them and tug roughly on the nipples.

"Come on, come on," I urged her through gritted teeth, barely hanging on. "Come all over me, Bella, let me hear that scream."

I gently pinched her clit between my fingers and she splintered with a loud scream, indeed. Her pussy gripped my cock in rhythmic clutches, and I shuddered and jerked as I came and came and came. She collapsed on top of me, melting into my chest, and we were a tangled heap of sweaty limbs and racing hearts.

"Holy shit," I gasped, trying to get my breathing under control.

"Yeah," she mumbled, a wild cloud of messy hair completely obscuring her face from me. I raised a shaky hand and pushed it back so I could see her. That chocolate gaze met mine and she was utterly beautiful with swollen lips and flushed cheeks. She grinned, happy and breathless.

My heart thudded in my chest, and I knew it wasn't only from the fucking fantastic orgasm I'd just experienced. It was because when I looked at her, I just saw everything. _Everything. _My whole life ahead of me, and she was there every step of the way. In that instant, I knew without a doubt that I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her. And maybe it should have scared me or given me pause, but it didn't. Like everything else between us, it just felt so fucking _right._

She must have seen something on my face, because she raised one eyebrow.

"What is it?"

I shook my head with a slight smile.

"Ask me again sometime."

_**So, yeah. He loves her. I mean, I KNEW he did, but now he knows it, too. That was fun, huh? I know this chapter was a bit on the short side, but I'd love to know your thoughts! **_


	15. Chapter 15

**_Here we are once more. I hope all of my lovely readers are doing well and staying safe. Let's say good morning to Bella, shall we? _**

BPOV

I smiled as I watched the two Sandhill cranes wandering around Edward's backyard in the morning sunlight. I'd heard them as I was pouring a cup of coffee, their distinctive call coming from close by.

When I'd awakened a little while ago, there had been a few moments that I'd forgotten where I was, but the strong arms and yummy smelling blankets had quickly reminded me that I was in Edward's house, in his bed. The man himself had still been deeply asleep and I'd taken some time just to study him; his crazy hair, the beard stubble growing in, the stunning ink that decorated his body. He fascinated me, as much this morning as he ever had, and I had a feeling there would always be something new about him to discover and uncover, another layer to unwrap.

Eventually, my bladder had interrupted my silent perusal and I'd gently untangled myself from those long limbs. Throwing on a pair of panties and his borrowed t-shirt from the night before, I'd made a dash for the guest bathroom. Afterwards, a bit too restless to get back in bed, I decided to make some coffee. My hair was a complete birds nest, but I managed to tame it up into some semblance of a topknot with the help of a pencil I'd found on the kitchen counter while I waited for the coffee to brew.

Now, as I stood sipping from my mug and watching the majestic birds foraging for their breakfast, memories of the day before, the _night _before, played through my mind, and I broke out into a full-on grin.

Despite my awkward initiation into the word of lovemaking by sweet - but somewhat clueless - Peter Mackinaw, I'd eventually grown to be confident in my sexuality. I found pleasure with my partners and had never really been what could be termed as "shy" in the bedroom. However, I'd even surprised myself with my boldness last night. And he'd just been so incredibly hot, not at all self-conscious as he'd lain there, touching himself at my request. It was as true as it ever was; there was just _something_ about Edward that lowered my inhibitions, brought out a side of me that I'd never fully shared with any man before him.

And, it wasn't just the sex. Although, _dear Lord,_ that was fantastic. It was the sharing of myself. I shared my body with him, obviously, but I also gave him pieces of my soul, my mind, and yes, my heart. So much of it belonged to him already, and even if my brain was telling me that it was too much, too soon, I knew it was true. I was falling in love with Edward, and it was effortless, as natural as breathing. I couldn't stop it and didn't even want to try.

I heard a footstep behind me and when I turned, the most glorious sight greeted me. Shirtless Edward, wearing only those gray jogging pants, yawning and scratching his chest as he made his way towards me, his hair in unruly chaos.

_Mine._

"There you are," he said, wrapping his arms around me, his nose nuzzling against my exposed neck. He was so warm and I hummed in pleasure. "How long have you been up?"

"Not long," I told him. "I didn't want to wake you, so I made coffee and have been enjoying the view." I nodded towards the back yard and Edward smiled.

"They come to the yard a lot, they like it for some reason."

"I've always thought they were beautiful. And I love when I get to see the fuzzy babies in the spring."

Edward's lips wandered to my ear and he pressed a kiss there, making me shiver and squirm.

"Good morning, my angel," he murmured, gently biting the skin along my jaw.

"Good morning, Detective," I sighed, trailing a fingertip down to rub one of his nipples. He groaned when I softly flicked it with my fingernail and I felt an answering thump from his cock, now stirring against my hip.

"I missed you when I woke up, wondered if it had all just been a dream." His teeth tugged on my earlobe and I jerked a little.

"Does it feel like a dream?" I whispered.

Edward pulled back to meet my gaze, his expression serious.

"Sometimes," he said softly.

I smiled at him in complete understanding, and nodded.

"Sometimes."

The silence between us was broken by the cries of the cranes as they flapped their huge wings and took off from the back yard. I watched them disappear from sight and then turned back to the man before me.

"How about I make some breakfast?" I already knew the answer. He was always hungry.

"That sounds great. Should I help you?"

"No. You should park your fine ass right there." I nodded towards a bar stool by his counter top, "And leave the rest to me."

"Yes, ma'am. You think my ass is fine?"

"It's _very_ fine."

And so the silly banter between us went back and forth as I first poured him a cup of coffee, and then went to work making a big ham and cheddar omelet to share. Edward's phone rang just as I added the cheese, and he pulled it from the pocket of his sweats while I carefully folded the egg mixture over in the pan.

"Hey, Jazz. . . Wait, what? . . .Where? . . . And did. . ? No. . . Holy shit. . . Do I need to come in? Okay. . . Okay. . . See ya."

"Everything okay?" I asked as he hung up, knowing by the tone of his voice something serious had happened.

"Laurent Deveraux was found dead this morning down in the Everglades."

My eyes widened.

"James' friend? The one he owed money to?"

"Yes. Violent Crimes has been slowly building a case against him, mostly for weapons trafficking. We've been working with Miami VC over the last couple of months because he had contacts here in Tampa, and has been coming back and forth."

"Wow. And someone, what, just killed him?"

"I'll know more tomorrow, but yeah. Jasper said it looked like an execution. Guy like that has a lot of enemies, no questions about it. Seems like one of them caught up with him."

"You don't need to go in today? Because of this?"

He shook his head.

"No, Homicide down there will start their investigation, and we'll work with them, but there's nothing I can do today. Jazz said we'll be briefed on everything tomorrow."

I cut the big omelet in half with the spatula and slid each piece onto a plate.

"This looks so good," Edward said as we sat at the nook in his dining room. He dove in with gusto, making me smile at his ever-present appetite. I took a few bites of mine, but there was something I wanted to ask him.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever have a hard time with . . . I don't know, not bringing your work home with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this weekend has been so wonderful, the perfect bubble, just like I hoped. But, with a career like yours, I imagine you've got to be thinking about work to a certain extent, even when you're not actively on the job. Are you able to sort of . . . turn that part of your life off when you're not on duty?"

He sat back and took a sip of his coffee.

"I'm definitely getting better at it," he finally said with a shrug. "I can't ever _fully_ turn it off, but I've learned to separate it from my personal life, as much as I can. There's guys at the station, older guys who have been on the job for twenty, twenty-five years. They live and breathe their work. Their marriages have suffered, and they have kids they barely see. They're good cops, _great_ cops, that I admire for the work they do. But they've let their job take priority over everything else. I don't want to do that. I love being a cop, but it can definitely overwhelm you if you're not careful. So, when I'm not on duty, not at the station, I've learned to turn all of it down to just. . . I don't know, background noise. My dad helps me when things start to get off balance."

"How so?" I was curious.

"Well, he knows first hand how much a career can take over your life. There are doctors at the hospital who are just the same as those cops at the station. They're fantastic doctors, but work becomes their number one priority and their personal lives suffer. Dad told me once that, after living through the whole ordeal of my mother's attack, his eyes were opened to what was _really_ important, and he made some changes."

Edward forked up another bite of his omelet, and I did the same, waiting for him to continue.

"My mom," he finally said. "She had a hard time staying in our old house in Lakeland. Bad memories, ya know?"

I nodded.

"We moved to Tampa when I was ten. My dad applied for a transfer to Tampa General and we started fresh here. Mom had always wanted to open her own business, and he encouraged her every step of the way, proud that she was channeling her energy into a new endeavor. Living on Davis Island meant he was super close to the hospital, and hardly any commute helped him to be more present at home and in our lives. Obviously, he didn't – and still doesn't - work a regular nine to five job, but he's gotten good at, what did you call it? Not bringing his work home with him?"

"Yes," I answered with a smile.

"He told me once that when someone chooses a career like his or mine, because of the things we see and the situations we're faced with on a regular basis, one of two things can happen. You can become jaded, hardened by experiences that tear you up inside. Or, you can become more appreciative of the good things in life, despite - or maybe because of - experiencing the bad. It's a choice, but it's something I still struggle with sometimes."

"I think you have a healthy mindset about it all. I can't imagine some of the things you've seen and stuff you've had to go through with your job. And, your parents sound like really awesome people, Edward."

He took my hand, lacing it with his on the table top.

"I think they are. They're definitely an awesome example of how a relationship can work, thrive even, in spite of outside stressors and two very busy careers." This last was said with a raised eyebrow and I smiled, unable to not see some similarities between his parents circumstances and our own.

"Like I said before, it won't always be easy, between my job and yours, but I promise it will be worth it, angel."

"I'm all in, Detective."

For the rest of the morning, Edward and I just relaxed. There was snuggling on the couch, some TV watching, and more Twenty Questions. I found out that he detested walnuts, loved Alfred Hitchcock movies, and wanted to visit the west coast and see the giant Redwood trees. I told him of my aversion to all things black licorice flavored, my former infatuation with The Jonas Brothers, and some of my future plans for Luxe. We took turns sharing stories of our admittedly different childhoods, which I loved. Picturing Edward in the scenarios he described made me smile because now I'd seen photographic proof of how freaking cute he'd been.

There was also kissing, of course. I couldn't be expected to be in such close proximity to him all morning long without availing myself of those fantastic lips. That would be impossible. We didn't take it any further than kissing, though. Well, there might have been a bit of groping, too, but for the time being both of us were just content to remain in our bubble with each other.

Eventually, Edward's attention once more turned to his stomach, which made me laugh because the man really couldn't go more than a few hours without a snack or meal of some sort. We threw around some lunch ideas, and finally decided on Yummy House. On Sundays, they had the best dim sum in town, and the pineapple buns were heaven in a bite. And I had to admit, I was getting hungry, too. Which is why I couldn't be bothered to take the time getting showered first.

"Oh man, I think it's gonna have to be a messy bun day," I said with a laugh as I surveyed my reflection in the mirror in Edward's bathroom. I'd pulled the pencil from my hair and it fell around my head in a wild tangle. Edward appeared in the bathroom doorway as I started to brush it out. He was already dressed in shorts and a v-neck t-shirt, his bedhead now mostly tamed.

"I love your hair," he said in a quiet voice. "It was one of the things I noticed the first time I saw you, how shiny it was."

"I was such a mess that day," I mused, working my brush through the snarls.

He came to stand behind me and put his hands on my shoulders. I met his eyes in the mirror, taking in his serious expression.

"You were strong and brave and beautiful. That was my first impression of you, and it will never change. I still can't believe you're really standing here in my bathroom, that I'm the one lucky enough to see you like this, wild hair and all. Also, a large part of the reason your hair looks the way it does, is the fact that you fucked me to the brink of a heart attack last night. And I can't be sorry about that at all." His grin was crooked and pleased, and I couldn't help but set the brush down and turn in the circle of his arms.

"A heart attack? Really?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, my fingers slipping into the hair at the nape of his neck. "What's the matter, Detective? Your ancient age catching up to you? Still got that one foot in the grave?" He smiled at the reminder of my teasing words the night he found me in my office.

"You were so fucking cute that night, in your pajama pants and hoodie. No makeup. You looked like a teenager."

I rolled my eyes and scoffed at his proclamation.

"You did!" he insisted. "You know, I had decided I wasn't going to bother you that night, when I realized Garrett's wedding was going to be held at your hotel. I told myself to wait, give it more time. But then, I saw you disappear around the corner, and I felt like fate had put you right in my path. So I followed you."

"I'm so glad you did," I told him, leaning up to press a kiss to his mouth. "Can I tell you a secret?"

He nodded.

"About four hours before that, before you found me in my office? I was in my shower, fantasizing about you going down on me, kneeling in front of me right there. I made myself come _so hard_ thinking about it."

Edward licked his lips as he considered my words, and the gesture made my knees just a tiny bit weak. His hands drifted to my hips, thumbs pressing into my hipbones as he tugged me closer to him.

"Well," he finally said. "I guess what I need to know is, how does the real thing compare to the fantasy, angel?" He nuzzled his lips against my ear and I shivered.

"Baby, there's no comparison." My voice was a bit unsteady, but I was helpless to stop the quiver. "That tongue of yours is better than I ever dreamed. However, I wouldn't be adverse to another demonstration, just to be sure."

"Get me some food and I'll be more than happy to demonstrate. As many times as you need." He pressed a hard kiss to my mouth and I grinned against his lips.

"Then you gotta let me finish with this rat's nest so we can go," I said with a laugh, turning back around to work on my hair once more.

"Okay, okay," he grumbled, backing away. "Come find me when you're done."

I blew him a kiss in the mirror. Yes, I totally did, because I was being one of _those_ girls again.

After finally getting my hair tamed up into an only-slightly tousled bun, I dressed in a short white romper that had splashes of bright tropical flowers. It was sleeveless with a V neckline, showing a moderate amount of cleavage, and I'll admit it, my girls looked good. Some makeup, a spritz of perfume, and I was ready.

I found Edward in the living room, reading something on his phone while he sat on the couch. He looked up when I entered, and grinned.

"Well, look how gorgeous you are."

I did a teasing little twirl for him and he gave me a whistle, which made me blush for some reason.

"Did you know that your body drives me crazy? Because it does," he said as he stood and walked over to me.

"Does it?"

"Absolutely. Your skin is so soft everywhere, and the curve of your ass is insanely hot." His hand slid across my hip and squeezed my butt cheek. "And these?" He trailed a finger down my throat and between my breasts, then just barely brushed my nipple. It stiffened through the layers of my bra and the romper. "I could go on about these for days." He cupped the weight of one breast and I moaned softly, my pulse jumping. "They're fucking perfect."

"You can get reacquainted with them later," I promised him with a smile.

"I suppose I can wait," he sighed with exaggerated disappointment. His puppy dog expression was just too much, and I rolled my eyes and laughed.

"Geez, I'm beginning to think you only want me for my boobs, Edward."

He shook his head, both of his hands now coming up to cup my breasts, squeezing gently and toying with my nipples. I squirmed in pleasure, my eyes never leaving his.

"Just the frosting on the cake, Bella," he assured me. "Your beauty is undeniable. You're so fucking gorgeous to me, but I'm equally addicted to your mind, your spirit, the sound of your voice, and the scent of your skin."

His utterly sweet words actually brought a lump to my throat, and I swallowed hard.

"Edward," I whispered.

"Too much?"

I shook my head immediately.

"No. I can feel your truth behind the things you say, and it just . . . melts me. I've never had such raw honesty in a relationship before."

Edward's hands left my breasts and rose to cup my face, his palms warm against my cheeks.

"I'll never lie to you, Bella. I'm telling you these things because I don't ever want you to wonder about my feelings for you."

"I know, baby." Everything inside told me that I could trust Edward. "I'm just not used to it yet. This. . . connection can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, but I wouldn't change it for anything."

He grinned at that and pressed a tender, lingering kiss to my lips.

"Food, woman! I need my energy if I'm going to excel at my _demonstrations _later."

_**I love Edward's demonstrations. Just sayin'. Please let me know your thoughts, dear readers. **_


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello again, dear readers. A few of my reviewers have asked in a roundabout way whether or not it's going to be smooth sailing from here on out or if the angst is going to return. It will return. for definite. But, I had to give them their bubble. They need it. The relationship is growing stronger every day, they are learning each other. A bond is forging, and they need this time together before facing the uncertainty of days to come. Now, let's catch up, huh? **

Yummy House was pretty busy when we got there, but we ended up only having to wait about ten minutes to be seated. Bella made me laugh when she expressed her excitement for the dim sum carts that were being pushed around the dining room. Apparently she had a thing for the pineapple buns. I was more of a potsticker fan, myself.

We sat close together at the little square table, unable to stop touching each other. I wove her fingers through mine and our hands rested on her bare knee beneath the tablecloth as we tasted all the offerings that came our way on the first cart that approached us. There were my favorite potstickers, of course, but also steamed shrimp shumai dumplings, sticky sausage and rice balls, and barbecue pork buns. Another cart came by and brought us mini beef and ginger skewers, chicken and mushroom soup dumplings, and Bella's beloved pineapple buns. I had to admit, they were delicious; I was actually quite impressed that she ate three of them. After that, she claimed to be too full for anything else, but I ate another round of potstickers and some red bean sesame donuts.

Our waiter had just brought the check when I spied a familiar face coming towards us, and my eyes widened.

"What is it?" Bella asked with a frown, beginning to turn around, but I stopped her with a squeeze to her hand.

"Angel, I honestly had no idea-"

"Edward! How lovely to find you here!"

I smiled at the petite woman determinedly approaching our table, and wondered how on earth this had happened. I mean, I'd hoped it would happen soon, but just wasn't expecting it today.

Well, nothing to be done about it now.

"Hello, Mom. Imagine running into you today."

This time it was Bella's eyes that widened, but before she could say anything, my mother had pounced. She grabbed Bella's available hand and squeezed it in delight.

"And this must be your Bella! Oh, it's so nice to finally meet you! I can certainly see why Edward is so taken with you, you're just beautiful, isn't she just beautiful, Carlisle?" she asked my father, who had followed her at a more sedate pace.

"And if you hadn't guessed, Bella, this is my mother, Esme, and my father, Carlisle."

"Esme, my love, I think you're cutting the circulation off in her hand. Hello, son. And yes, it's wonderful to meet you, Bella."

My poor angel looked a bit shell shocked and I couldn't blame her. My mother could be a bit much to people who didn't know her and weren't used to her _effusive _personality. Still, Bella recovered quickly and gave them both a winning smile.

"It's so nice to meet both of you, as well. What a lovely coincidence that we all were in the mood for dim sum today."

"Yes, a coincidence indeed," I repeated dryly, lifting an eyebrow in my father's direction. Behind my mother's back, he shook his head and pointed at her as if to say 'don't blame me, it was all her idea!'.

"Darling, I don't know why you're surprised, you know I just adore the food here."

"Oh, I know you do," I said with barely concealed amusement. She could look innocent all she wanted, but I knew her. She was a woman on a mission.

Just then her phone rang, and she looked at the screen before letting out a groan.

"Oh, it's that insufferable Betty Sinclair, I bet she wants to change the color of her window treatments. Again. Unfortunately, I do need to take this," she said in apology, answering the phone as she walked away. "Betty! How lovely to hear from you!"

I chuckled and shook my head before turning my attention to my dad. I didn't have to say a thing.

"You know there's no stopping her, son! Not when she gets an idea in her head."

"How did she know we were here?"

"Apparently the Jefferies, you know Tyler and Gwen, were just leaving here when you arrived, and of course she called your mother because that woman is an incurable gossip. We were actually on our way to that lovely little Italian bistro in Seminole Heights," he said, a bit wistfully. "But of course Esme insisted on coming here instead, and I honestly didn't have the strength to fight her; I'm weak with hunger, I couldn't even try."

Bella giggled while I rolled my eyes. My parents, ladies and gentlemen.

"But, it really is lovely to meet you, Bella. I can't be too cross with my wife, her heart is in the right place. She just gets very. . . excited."

"She reminds me of my best friend Alice, I think they'd get along famously," Bella replied with a grin.

At that moment the hostess called to my dad that their table was ready, so we said our good-byes, waving to my mother, who was still on the phone with the 'insufferable' Betty Sinclair. She blew us kisses as she followed my father to a table in the next dining room over, thank God.

"Sorry about that," I said with a sheepish grin. "I really had no idea they'd be coming here today."

"Apparently neither did your dad," she replied with a laugh. "Don't be silly, Edward. I was looking forward to meeting them anyway, and this was good because I didn't have time to get nervous."

"What could you possible have to be nervous about?"

"Their opinion of me matters," she answered simply with a shrug. "You do look like your dad, except for the color of your eyes."

"Yeah, and my grandfather, too. Apparently the Cullen genes are strong on the male side," I said with a smile. "But for some reason, we all inherit our mother's eyes."

"I'm the opposite. I look like my mom, but with my father's eyes." She brought up a picture on her phone and showed it to me. They made a glamorous couple, do doubt about it. In the photo, Charles Swan stood tall in a tuxedo, his petite wife at his side in a golden evening gown. Renee was slightly exotic in her beauty, with dark brown hair and olive skin, her eyes so deep they were almost black. Bella had definitely inherited her father's lighter, caramel eyes, and the shape of his eyebrows, but the rest was definitely from her mother.

"This was at the company's Christmas party, just months before they died," Bella said with a sad smile as she looked at the photo. "I wish I had different pictures of them that weren't so formal. More casual ones, ya know? But, I don't, because Mom wouldn't dare to be seen without her full makeup and hair done. She never did 'casual' very well. Even in the hospital pictures I've seen from when Emmett and I were born, she was fully made up and wearing designer pajamas."

"She was stunning," I said truthfully, and Bella smiled.

"Yes, she was. We didn't have a typical mother/daughter relationship, but I do miss her. Both of them."

"I'm sorry, angel. It breaks my heart that you had to go through such tremendous loss, especially so young."

"Emmett was my rock. He was young, too, but he took care of me. I don't know what I would have done without him."

"I'm looking forward to getting to know him better."

"We should plan a dinner, or something! That would be fun. Alice and Jasper, Jacob and Seth, and Emmett and Rosalie, if something really is unfolding between the two of them. I know it might be tricky with everyone's schedules, but I'd love to have a get-together! We can do it at my place." Her eyes shined with infectious excitement and I smiled.

"That sounds great, if we can make it work."

"Alice is great at stuff like that, I'll get her to help me."

"Just let me know when and I'll be there." I pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand.

After paying the check, we climbed in the jeep and headed back to my house. As I drove, I noticed Bella was sorta subdued, here eyes not seeming to really take in the passing scenery. She was biting her lip, too.

"What's up, angel? You're very quiet over there."

She sighed.

"Just thinking about how wonderful this weekend has been with you. I've become spoiled so quickly. My blankets don't smell yummy like yours, and I'm gonna miss your bed." Her pout was adorable.

"Believe me, I'm gonna miss you in my bed," I admitted. "What do you have going on this week? Is it a busy one?"

For the rest of the drive home, we compared schedules. My shift was six to three again this week, but because of the recent developments with Deveraux, I knew I'd be working some longer hours in the coming days, and Bella had commitments as well. I was on call Wednesday and Thursday, so those had the potential to be even more unpredictable. We tentatively set Tuesday evening as the next likely time we'd be able to see each other again, barring anything unforeseen happening.

"Would you like to come for dinner at my place?" she asked as we pulled in the driveway. "I haven't had a chance to cook for you, yet."

"That sounds great, angel, I'd love to."

"Then it's a date," she confirmed with a smile, before her face fell once more. "The next two days are going to drag by, I know it."

"Hey," I said as we walked up the front steps to my house. "It's not even two o'clock yet, and I still have you for the rest of the day, right?"

"Indeed you do, Detective."

"What shall we do, then? We could go out somewhere? Stay in? Go see a movie? Take a drive? So many possibilities."

"How do you feel about the zoo?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

I grinned.

"You remembered, huh? I really was jealous that you got to go in New York."

"It was nice, but it's no Lowry Park. Today is a gorgeous day to be outside, don't you think?"

"Let's do it! I haven't been there in ages."

Bella switched out her heeled sandals for a pair of flipflops from her overnight bag and I grabbed a baseball cap and my sunglasses. She slipped hers on as well, then took my hand with a smile after I locked the house back up.

"I definitely wanna pet the stingrays! Oh, and feed the giraffes!"

I laughed at her obvious excitement. I loved her like this, so sweet and carefree.

"Alright, my angel. Destination, zoo."

And we were off.

BPOV

I'd always loved the zoo, but had never gone on an actual 'date' there. Now, I was seeing it through new eyes as I explored everything with Edward. He grabbed a map after entering and we plotted out which way to go first, ultimately deciding to start our journey in the Asia section. The tigers were sunning themselves lazily, so regal and powerful, even at rest.

As we wandered hand-in hand-from one exhibit to the next, I couldn't remember a day I'd enjoyed more.

Running into Edward's parents had been quite surprising, to say the least. Though completely unexpected, I was thrilled to meet the parents of the man who had came to mean so very much to me. And they had been just as lovely as I'd hoped. Esme really did remind me of Alice; I had a feeling between the two of them they could plot world domination, all while looking effortlessly flawless. Her green eyes were so similar to Edward's in color, and just as stunning. Carlisle's eyes were light blue, but his facial structure, and his expressions were almost identical to his son's. They even had the same walk, which made me smile when I'd first noticed. I was very much looking forward to spending more time in their company.

I was thrilled when Edward had agreed on an outing to the zoo; it was one of my very favorite places and it had been too long since I'd last been. Plus, the weather was just perfect, warm and breezy, with enough cloud cover that we didn't feel like we were melting.

We ate popcorn and ice cream bars, caught some of the animal shows, fed the giraffes, and petted the stingrays, just like I'd wanted to. I giggled at Edward trying to get the huge parrots to talk to him, and he gave me a triumphant grin when one of them finally said 'hello'. We brushed and fed the goats at the petting zoo, and laughed at the antics of the emus. We even took a ride on the animal-themed carousel and Edward snapped a picture of us with all the bright colors in the background, he on his zebra and me on my kangaroo. It was a silly picture, but I loved it.

He cornered me in the cool shadows of the jungle-esque primate exhibit a little while later, where we had been watching the chimpanzees. There was nobody around us for the moment, and he slid his lips up the side of my neck.

"You always smell so good," he whispered against my jaw. "Peachy and sweet."

"I can't imagine I smell very sweet at the moment," I sighed, tilting my head back to allow his mouth to travel over my collarbone. "After walking around outside for the past couple of hours, not to mention the fact that I haven't even showered today."

"I disagree. You smell fucking delicious, and I happen to _like_ the fact that you haven't showered today. I _like_ knowing that underneath the sweetness, you smell like sex and me and us. You smell like you've been in my bed."

There was something very primal about his declaration, and I shivered.

"My mouth has been everywhere on this gorgeous body," he continued in a low voice, his lips barely brushing my skin as they wandered to my ear. "I've claimed you with my tongue, stamped you my sweat. I'm in your pores and you're in mine."

"Mmm, I love that," I moaned, grasping his face and pulling his lips to mine. His words made me impossibly hot and I kissed him hungrily, deep and steamy. Our mouths tasted each other for long moments before Edward pulled back with a groan. I opened my eyes dazedly and registered the fact that there were people approaching the exhibit and we were no longer alone.

"Soon," he promised, pressing one more kiss to my lips before stepping back and lacing our hands together. "Now, let's go see the penguins, huh?"

We walked around for a while longer before Edward declared, unsurprisingly, that he needed real food for dinner. In particular, he had a craving for steak, and claimed he knew the perfect place. The drive to Temple Terrace didn't take long at all, and soon we were pulling up in front of a brick building that had a sign out front, proclaiming they had 'The Best T-Bones In Town!'. It was set at the end of a nondescript strip mall filled with nail salons and wireless providers, but there were a lot of cars parked in front, a testament to its popularity.

"The Grove?" I asked. "I've never been here before."

"You're in for a treat! They have the best steaks ever, and they grill them over orange wood, hence the name. Just amazing." he rubbed his belly as we walked towards the front door and I laughed.

"You always get so excited over food, it's hilarious."

"I love food! Well, good food, anyway."

Edward opened the front door and the truly mouthwatering scent of grilled meat hung heavy in the air. It was busy, but not packed, and we were seated right away in another cozy corner booth. It seemed Edward was well-known at this place, as well, and had a 'usual table' here, too. Given his love of food, I was sure there were dozens of places around town that welcomed him on a regular basis. He was a man of great appetites, in more ways than one.

The next hour passed in a lovely blur of great wine and delicious food. The conversation flowed between us like it always did, and somehow we got on the subject of me needing a new car.

"Well, what kind do you like?" Edward asked, re-filling my wine glass from the bottle on the table. He only had one glass, so I guess it was up to me to finish it off. I was definitely feeling the effects, but it was nice. So nice to just relax and be mellow.

"Something sexy," I told him, sipping from my glass. "Nothing nerdy! Something zippy and cool. Ya know, I really fucking loved my little Audi." I frowned, aware that the alcohol was loosening my tongue, but unbothered by it. "I never even got the chance to take you for a drive in it, it was the sweetest ride ever. I had a dream about sucking you off in that car, did I ever tell you?'

His eyes widened a bit, and I wondered if I'd said that too loud.

"No, you definitely never told me that," he said, turning to face me more fully and leaning closer. "A dream, huh?"

"Mm hmm. Remember I told you that I dream about you?"

"Yes, and I loved finding that out. So, tell me about this particular one." His lips pressed against the corner of my mouth, then the spot below my ear, before pulling back to gaze at me.

"Well, we were driving somewhere and we pulled over." I took another slow gulp of wine, remembering. "You were driving, and I don't know why we stopped, but I reached over and slowly slid your zipper down." My hand dropped below the table and rested on his thigh. The muscle clenched beneath my touch and I trailed my fingers higher until they brushed against the crotch of his shorts. He jumped a little bit, and then his hand settled over mine, pressing more firmly.

I wasn't really worried about anyone seeing; the restaurant was dim, the booth was in a corner, and the tablecloths were long. I was buzzed, no question about it, but it had been ages since I'd felt this carefree and happy. One thing would make me happier, though, and that would be another up close and personal encounter with Edward's amazing body. I rubbed over his growing erection with my fingertips.

"And then?" he urged softly, groaning when I increased pressure.

"Then, I got up on my knees in the passenger seat, bent over, and took you all the way down my throat. Although," I paused, affecting a thoughtful look. "I feel like the dream didn't actually do you justice. At that point in time I didn't know just how sexy your cock was, or how much I'd love the taste of it, or how good it would feel as it filled my mouth, all hot and hard and delicious." I leaned up and nipped his earlobe with my teeth, my pussy growing warm and flushed. "Now that I know all of that, I really can't wait to have it again. You did say 'soon', didn't you, Detective?"

"Jesus, Bella," he whispered. "Yes, fucking soon."

"Oh, good," I said softly. His dick thumped against my palm as I rubbed it, and then I trailed the fingers of my other hand down over my collarbone and between my breasts, toying with the V neckline of my romper. Edward's body blocked me from the rest of the dining room as we sat next to each other, and I took full advantage of that.

"I remember how much you said you wanted to get re-acquainted with these," I murmured, hooking a finger under the material, and the bra beneath, so that I could slowly edge both of them to the side. I watched him, my heartbeat thumping in my ears as I bared my breast for his eyes only in that noisy steakhouse. The look of lust on his face was the ultimate reward for my wine-fueled boldness, and the pulsing ache building between my thighs grew in intensity.

"Got a bit of an exhibitionist streak in you, my angel?" he questioned softly, his eyes lifting from my chest to my face.

"I never did before, it's probably the wine," I told him with a wink. It was true, though. The thrill of 'possibly getting caught' had never appealed to me, or been any sort of kink I'd wanted to explore. "However, at the moment, I enjoy the fact that only _you_ can look at me like this, in this crowded restaurant, and only_ you _know how good it makes me feel when you suck on this." I stroked my nipple and rubbed it gently. "No one else eating their dinner right now will ever have any idea. Just you."

"Fuck, you're amazing," he breathed. "I'll never get enough of you." He pushed his dick harder against our hands and I smiled, squeezing him.

Edward's knee bumped the underside of the table, and I giggled and tucked myself back into my clothing, then drained the rest of the wine in my glass while he signaled our waitress a bit frantically.

Our check was placed on the table and I snatched it up before Edward could touch it.

"My treat, baby. You've been so good to me all weekend. I got this." I pressed a kiss to his lips before he could argue, then slid some bills into the leather folder before standing up and reaching for his hand. "Let's get out of here, Detective."

**So, yeah. A lovely day spent together, I think. Yummy House is real and in my opinion does absolutely has the best dim sum around. Lowry Park Zoo is also real and it's a wonderful place. The Grove? A figment of my imagination, alas. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. I apologize for not answering reviews presently but I promise I love and adore each and every one. You all make me smile so much. **


	17. Chapter 17

**Hello, dear readers. I apologize for the tardiness of this update. Life has been a bit. . .frantic, as of late. But, I do hope you enjoy this. Meet me at the bottom.**

EPOV

I barely registered most of the drive back to my house, so consumed was my mind with thoughts of Bella and all of the things I wanted to do to her. She'd shocked the hell out of me when she flashed me her gorgeous, naked breast, but I couldn't fucking deny I'd been hugely turned on. Like her, I'd never really had any exhibitionist fantasies, but just the thought that I was the only one who saw – the only one she _wanted_ to see - what she was doing in that busy restaurant made me painfully hard.

Our whole day together had been amazing. No matter how much time I spent with her, I always wanted more. I'd awakened alone in bed that morning and really had wondered for a few seconds if it had all been a dream. But, the scent of her was on my pillows and her little sexy gown from the night before was tangled among the blankets, so I'd known she was there somewhere. And I'd found her in the kitchen, looking fucking adorable in my old USF shirt.

"Do you hand out candy, Edward?" Bella's random question snapped me out of the memories of that morning.

"Sorry, what?"

"Halloween is next week. I was just wondering if you hand out candy? Are there kids who come to trick-or treat?"

"Yes, actually. If I'm not working, I do hand out candy. There's quite a few kids in the neighborhood, and I get a kick out of seeing them all dressed up," I admitted. "The real little ones are especially cute."

"We have a candy station in the lobby, but usually don't get very many trick-or treaters, though some of the staff do bring their kids by. When I was little, our nanny would take Emmett and I out to some of the houses around, but I always thought it would be fun to hand out candy at the door."

"Well, you're welcome to come and be my candy partner next week."

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "Do you dress up?"

"No," I said with a laugh. "But, I do hand out the good stuff. No raisins, or suckers from my house. I go to Costco and get the big bags of mixed chocolates. You know, with the peanut butter cups and mini Snickers and stuff?"

"Oh, I love peanut butter cups. They've always been my favorite. I love anything that has chocolate and peanut butter." Her sigh was dreamy, and I filed away that information.

"If you're nice to me, I'll let you taste-test some of the goods before the kids get there," I told her with a wink.

"You mean I don't even have to do a trick to get my treat?"

"Angel, I've experienced some of your tricks. I might not survive many more."

"Baby, you ain't seen nothing yet," was her sultry reply, and I was very glad that we were almost back to my house. I drove over the curb pulling into my driveway - haste making me a bit careless - and Bella laughed at me.

We barely made it in the door before her mouth was on mine. Blindly kicking our shoes off, I fumbled to lock the door before walking her backwards towards my bedroom. Her hands knocked the baseball cap from my head before they slipped up under my shirt, and I impatiently yanked it off, tossing it to the floor, then reclaimed her mouth once more. Her hands wandered over my naked torso while she kissed me deep and sweet.

"Mmmm, that's so nice," she said with a sigh when my lips traveled down her throat. I pushed her clothing to the side, eager to once more see her naked tits, and this time be able to touch them and taste them. She shivered when I pinched her bared nipple, then I sucked it deep into my mouth and bit it gently.

"Ah. . . God, Edward." Her fingers tunneled into my hair and she guided my mouth back up to hers. She nipped and sucked at my lips, digging her teeth in and driving me crazy. Then her kisses turned slower and languid, and I was just completely lost in her taste, her scent, her _everything. _

"Jesus, I want you so much," I mumbled into her mouth. "You have no fucking idea what you did to me in the restaurant, showing me this," I cupped her breast firmly, squeezing and rubbing. "I wanted to lean down and put my mouth all over you."

"I would have let you," she purred. "I would have let you do anything, right there at the table. You make me want so many things, Detective."

"I'll give you anything you want, angel. Just tell me."

Bella pulled back and looked up at me, all flushed cheeks and shining eyes. She was perfect.

"Well," she whispered, walking her fingers over my bare chest. "As much as I adore knowing your scent is all over me, I'd actually really love to take you into that shower, get both of us nice and clean, and then get both of us _very_ dirty again. What do you say?"

"Hmmm, you scrub my back, I scrub yours?"

"Something like that."

"I say, game on."

EotN

In the steam and rippling spray, I took my time touching Bella's beautiful body, worshiping her flesh with my fingers and my mouth, lapping up water droplets that tasted like her skin. We washed each other unhurriedly, and when her soapy, slippery hands finally found my cock, twisting and gently tugging, my knees almost buckled from the sensation. After the lather had been rinsed away, she dropped down and took me in her mouth. She licked and sucked, jacking me with one hand while she nibbled on the head of my dick before swallowing me deep again, and I swear I saw stars. How anyone could look so utterly gorgeous - kneeling there, her mouth filled with the proof of my need for her - was beyond my comprehension. Bella was lust and allure personified.

My fingers slid into her wet hair and her eyes rose to meet mine. She licked the head of my cock like it was her favorite flavor of ice cream, then pressed a kiss to the underside, before standing up and joining our mouths once more. I slipped a hand between her thighs; separate from the water beating down around us, I could feel the silky wet heat of her arousal. Stroking her clit slowly with just one finger, I gently bit the softness of her shoulder, then ran my teeth up the side of her neck to her ear.

"Your pussy is drenched, angel," I said lowly.

"All because of you, Detective."

"Are we clean enough to get dirty again?"

"Absolutely."

We halfway dried off before need just became too much, and her wet hair soaked my sheets, but I didn't care. The only thing I cared about was claiming her. Fucking her. _Loving_ her. My cock was aching, full, and eager.

I laid her back on the pillows and marveled at just how sweetly beautiful she was. Her eyes were practically glowing, golden brown and warm, and her nose and cheeks were lightly touched with pink from being outdoors this afternoon. I could see the thin line of her scar, and bent to kiss it gently.

"I can't even hate it," Bella whispered. I pulled back.

"The scar?"

She nodded, and her hand rose to cup my jaw.

"As scary as it was, if things had not unfolded the way they did, then I might never have met you, Edward. And now. . . . I have no room in my heart for hate. It's just part of our story."

"Our story," I agreed with a smile. I loved the sound of that.

My mouth traveled down her throat and across her collarbone, pressing kisses and biting gently. I pulled one of her hardened nipples into my mouth, flicking it with my tongue and then sucking firmly. Her back bowed up off the bed and her hands drifted into my hair, clutching handfuls as I tasted every inch of her incredible tits. Then I roamed lower, rubbing my cheeks over her ribcage and nibbling the tender skin of her hipbone, which made her squirm.

"Please," she whispered. "I need your mouth, baby. Your tongue."

"Ah, time for my demonstration. Excellent."

Her breathless laugh was cut short as I gave her most intimate flesh a long and savoring lick, tonguing her clit, then sucking it. She moaned loudly, rolling herself against my face and hooking one leg over my shoulder.

I was in heaven; Bella's pussy was the most luscious thing in the world to me, her flavor intoxicating. I gently thumbed those soft lips wider, admiring the carnal beauty of her aroused sex – the inviting little patch of hair, her clit all flushed and swollen. I licked it tenderly, kissed it lovingly, then slid my tongue lower, inside her. My cock thumped painfully when she let out the sexiest little growl.

"God. . yes . . Edward. . . Oh, I love your tongue so much."

I would have grinned if my mouth weren't occupied. Bella was quite vocal when we made love; she could be deliciously dirty, or playful and tender, and I equally adored both sides of her passionate nature.

I slowly fucked her with my tongue, reveling in all the gasps and moans that met my ears.

"Do you want to come like this?"

"Fuck, yes." Her hips writhed impatiently. "Make me come, Edward."

I flicked my tongue against her clit faster, pausing to suck the sweet flesh into my mouth before licking it again. Bella whimpered and trembled, spreading her legs wider and thrusting against my face, fingers digging into my scalp. My cock ached painfully, but I ignored it, determined to push her over the edge with only my mouth. I kissed her pussy with soft suction, drawing and tugging with my lips, and felt the tremors begin in her thighs. It was a sign I was coming to recognize and it meant she was close. My tongue lapped her rapidly and she arched with a loud, sexy moan.

"Oh, oh, oh," she panted, and then a scream tore from her throat and her entire frame trembled as she came, pulling hard on my hair while I feasted on her.

Gentling my mouth when she weakly whimpered and her legs relaxed, I pressed one more soft kiss to her mound before rising to my knees. I couldn't wait any longer, and the sight of her laying there - blissed out, with her legs still spread - had me reaching for the condoms in my nightstand. I rolled one on quickly while she still murmured and twitched, then covered her body with mine. Her eyes opened with a gasp as I slipped through her wet sex and entered her body in one deep stroke. She clenched me with molten heat as I slowly advanced and retreated.

"Edward, oh my God," she moaned. "So good."

Before I realized what she was doing, Bella drew both of her legs back, tilting her pelvis and resting her shins up by her shoulders. The action opened her body even more to me and I rose up, pressing forward on my knees and grasping the backs of her smooth, damp thighs for leverage as I thrust into her over and over, deeper than before. I looked down and could clearly see my cock sliding in and out of her slick pussy. The sight of our joining was exquisite.

"Jesus, you're fucking bendy," I panted.

"Yoga," was her breathless reply. A glance at her face showed me her smile and, as I watched, she slid one hand down her chest, over her stomach, and began stroking herself. Her fingertips rubbed tight circles on her clit and I pistoned my hips harder. Sweat broke out on my forehead and across my back, and I groaned in pleasure as that pulsing, tingling, heat began to spread through my body.

"Are you gonna come again, angel?"

"Yes," she said huskily. "Fuck me harder, baby, I'm so close."

I shoved myself deeper, faster, and Bella tightened all around me, crying out in breathless wails. Seconds later I shook with the force of my own orgasm, pinning her down to my bed as the mind-numbing ecstasy took over.

When I regained use of my muscles again, I rolled off her and onto my back, still breathing hard. I took a moment to toss the condom in the trashcan by the bed, and then gathered my barely conscious angel into my arms. She settled like a dead weight against me and we both dozed for a while, sated and content.

When I finally roused enough to turn my head and look at the clock, I found it was after ten. Pressing a kiss to Bella's forehead, I gently rubbed her arm.

"Come back to me, angel."

Nonsensical mumbling was my only reply, and I grinned before trying again.

"Bella."

This time her sleepy voice came from the wild tangle of hair spread across me.

"Bella can't come to the phone right now. She already came her brains out. Please leave a message."

My chest shook with laughter and she raised her head blearily.

"Excuse me, but you're disrupting my afterglow."

"I promise you I would never willingly disrupt your afterglow," I said with a smile. "But it's getting late and, as much as I wish you never had to leave my bed, we have to be sensible about this."

She frowned and then laid her cheek down on my chest, running her fingers lightly through the hair there.

"I know." Her voice was small. "It's gonna suck to go back to reality, but we both have busy days tomorrow, and I do need to get home to my girls."

We delayed for a couple more minutes before she slipped from my arms and padded to the bathroom while I pulled on some shorts and a t-shirt and went to the kitchen to grab a drink. I cracked open a can of soda and took a few thirsty swigs, my mind replaying some of my favorite moments with Bella over the weekend. Of course, the sex had been utterly amazing. Hands down, she was the most vibrant, exciting, and sensual lover I'd ever had. Her body, her scent, her taste, it was all so addicting to me. I was in love with her, falling deeper every single day, and I really fucking hated letting her ago.

"I'm ready." Her voice sounded from behind me, and I turned to find her standing in the doorway. She was dressed and her hair had been tidied. She looked forlorn and I opened my arms, holding her close when she came near.

"This is ridiculous," she finally said with a small laugh. "I'm actually pouting because I have to leave our bubble. I'm a grown up, for goodness sake, an independent business woman, and I'm acting like a twelve year old who might not ever see her crush again."

"Believe me, I feel the same. But, we'll see each other on Tuesday, only two days from now. And we'll both be so busy until then, the time will fly."

"Yeah, yeah, try to convince yourself there, Detective, because you aren't convincing me," she grumbled and I laughed.

"You're right, it's gonna totally suck."

She raised her head and pressed a kiss to my lips.

"This whole weekend was everything I wished for, and more."

"We'll have more weekends," I promised.

We were quiet on the drive back to her place, lost in our thoughts. Billy opened the lobby doors for us.

"Good evening Ms. Swan, Detective."

We returned his greeting and made our way to the elevators. Once inside, she leaned against me.

"You tired, angel?"

"Mm hmm. We've been quite active, Detective."

I smirked at that, but it was very true. I'd made love with this gorgeous woman four times in the past day and a half, and every time had been amazing. I knew I was going to sleep like the dead tonight and be cursing the alarm come morning.

"Yes, we have. I can't wait to be 'active' with you again."

She giggled as the elevator doors slid open.

"I'm looking forward to it as well."

Ginger and Maryann came running when they heard us enter and we gave them both due attention. I smiled as I watched her fussing over the cats, knowing she did feel a little guilty about leaving them alone all day. Her heart was very tender.

"They're happy to have you back," I said, and she smiled as she stood up.

"Yeah. But, thankfully, they have each other. That's why I adopted two. I know how busy my life can be at times and I wouldn't want one cat to be lonely."

We faced each other, and a sad little smile overtook her lips.

"Me, on the other hand? I'm going to be _very_ lonely."

"Tuesday," I reminded her, squeezing her hands, and she nodded.

We stood in her foyer and one good-bye kiss turned into another and another, until I finally had to make myself step back from those intoxicating lips, or I wouldn't have the strength to go. Still, her pout almost brought me to my knees, and when I stepped inside the elevator by myself, I felt like a piece of me was missing.

**Awwww. For those of you that love their love, you're welcome. To those who are wondering when the angst is going to return, it's coming. I wanted to say a special thank you to my most faithful readers, the ones who leave reviews for each chapter, sometimes long ones and sometimes just a word or two, but I promise I adore them all. To anyone new to this story, welcome! And thank you to everyone who has taken the time to go on this little journey with me. I'm humbled. BTW, peanut butter cups actually are my favorite.**


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